3.5/5

For the most part, I enjoyed this. I loved the found family - and the true family. I loved the relationships, whether it was siblings or friends or packs or lovers - either way, I thought the characters were so well written. The plot, when I could find it, was also fab. I do think this could have used some editing, that a large portion of the pages could either have been cut or used to provide more explanation (i.e. Ox's whole *thing*, the Alpha creations, the history of the packs, how they all knew each other, etc.)

I was also a little iffy on the age gap - by the time there's any romantic feeling, Joe is 17 and Ox is 23, which I wasn't comfortable with. Also, I think the first half was undoubtedly better than the second half, which was a repetition of the same conversations again and again for 30-page-long chapters.

I liked the story and I liked the characters - I just think it could've been a lot shorter to stop it feeling like it dragged.

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review Wolfsong.

I'd recently read The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune, so when I had the opportunity to read a re-release of one of his earlier novels I jumped at the chance. The House in the Cerulean Sea is easily my favourite read so far this year, so I will admit to a sense of trepidation before reading Wolfsong as THITCS was so dear to my heart. I needn't have worried.

Wolfsong has many of my favourites in a book: romance, fantasy, the supernatural, found family and much more. It made me laugh, cry and swoon. I defy anyone reading this to not fall in love with every single character in this book (well...the good ones anyway.) Each character, even down to those more on periphery is so well realised and not a caricature or too "tropey". They feel incredibly real and each has their own flaws that just make them leap off the page even more.

My favourite thing about Klune's writing is that he writes emotion so well. In the two books I have now read, I don't think I've read another author that manages to capture and realise on the page the complexity of emotions that people can experience. Some authors have tried to do this and it can become to rambly or pretentious but Klune does this in such a way that you are feeling right there with the characters without using pages and pages to do so.

I can't wait to read the rest of the Green Creek series and many more of T.J. Klune's novels as I think he is rapidly becoming one of my favourite authors!

I had head people talking about this book all over my booktok and bookstagram for the longest time and I can totally see why! This book is beautifully well written, which is no surprise from TJ Klune!

Well-written characters, intriguing plot and it's a stunning edition? Sign me up!

I don’t remember the last time I was this obsessed with a book. It had me in tears in the first fifty pages, sobbing by around half way through. And then, amongst that, was the humour and out-loud laughter. These characters were so real, and I was so invested, that it felt as though I was in Green Creek with them, sharing their grief and their joy. This was a beautifully woven tale of found family, love and friendship, and I felt it all deeply. It’s impossible not to fall for Ox and Joe, the way they heal each other from their pasts and provide such unwavering, intimate loyalty. Ox was the perfect narrator, his self-doubt and intrusive thoughts, the way he viewed himself as having no worth. To see that change, to see this new family actively change that and dispel it, whether it’s the family at the garage or in the no longer abandoned house at the end of the lane. Watching Joe grow from child to man was lovely, but seeing Ox transform into adulthood was an absolute delight. The way Klune writes the narrative… It's so unique and emotional and tender, and I don’t think this story could have been done justice any other way, with any other characters, with any other author. And if my feelings haven’t been through the ringer enough, I can’t wait to get my hands of Ravensong to be further destroyed by the residents of Green Creek.

Let me start by saying I am a huge fan of TJ Klune, The House in the Cerulean Sea and Under the Whispering Door are so incredible and I will reread them many times I suspect.

The first book, I gather has been republished in the UK and published in the USA in 2016.
The protagonist Ox moves to a sleepy lil village with his parents and his dad leaves him and his mom pretty quickly.
His neighbors live in a big beautiful house and turn out to be dum dum dum..... wolves. The story is about love, connection, family, chosen family and finding your place in it.
The world building was excellent. I can picture the whole town and what people look like. I loved how much queerness was in the story and how it's just about love is love.

Perhaps because the protagonist goes from a child to late teens, but maybe intentional, but there was too much inner dialogue and repetition for me which was such a pity. I feel like his other books were perfect in editing. Even so the book is pretty amazing, I read it in a few days and just finished the second part of the Green Creek series.

I’m afraid Wolfsong belongs to that category of books which are actually good, but just wasn’t for the reader.

Synopsis -

Oxnard Matheson has been told he is worthless all his life. But when little Joe comes along in his life, Ox experiences the kind of friendship and love that he never imagined he would and becomes an integral part of his family. When the unthinkable happens, Joe is gone to seek revenge for over three years. Would things be the same between them when he is back?

Review -

The entire narrative is in Ox’s first person and honestly it got quite overwhelming at times. It was almost as if we are inside Ox’s mind, experiencing his every thought and every single thing he feels.

Klune’s creativity, imagination and mastery over character development are at their best play here. I did like the fantasy and magical aspects of it. His writing has a deep emotional impact and his characterization of Ox and Joe has a certain multi-dimensional quality and great depth to it.

The main issue was mostly the repetitive nature of the storyline – by halfway the dialogues felt tedious and even monotonous, which made the book dull, boring and hard to keep coming back to. The length of the book is also a problem. It could’ve easily been a 100 pages shorter without affecting the overall story and its impression.

However, Wolfsong deserves appreciation for the focus on familial ties, loyalties in relationships, queer romance and representation.

Although it had a strong potential, as I mentioned earlier - it might just be me, since I am not a true fantasy lover at heart.

Thanks NetGalley and Pan Macmillan, Tor for the ARC in exchange of an honest review.

I read this book because I previously read and enjoyed ‘The House in the Cerulean Sea.’ Wolfsong is the first book Green Creek series. A series about paranormal wolf shifters. Ox knows immediately when the Bennett family move in next door that he and Joe will be together, however, being part of the family will have long-lasting repercussions.

This book is not just about werewolves, it is a story about belonging. Joe and Ox’s relationship clicks from the first moment they meet. It comes across as so powerful, all credit to Klune’s writing. Wolfsong is a story that is light-hearted, just like ‘The House in the Cerulean Sea.’ It is fun, mostly about friendships, love, betrayal, devastation, sacrifice, and heartache. I enjoyed this book well enough, but it was too syrupy-sweet for me. All too often it got too repetitive, the endless arguing over the same things, soon became tiring. However, if you love a heavy dose of romance this book is for you.

My thanks to Pan MacMillan and NetGalley for the arc of Wolfsong by TJ Klune, in exchange for an unbiased and honest review.

I just loved this book, it was a definite 5 star read for me! A mix between Twilight and Teen Wolf with the bonus of witches – what more could you want from a fantasy romance? The cover is
beautifully decorated, I have ordered myself a copy to sit proudly on my bookcase.

We follow the life of Ox as he befriends a young boy, Joe, whose family have recently moved to the area. We soon discover the families secret as Ox is thrown into a world of werewolves and magic. We journey through a story of violence, murder, and revenge, but most importantly a romance of soul mate kind. Always being told in the voice of Ox, you get a real feel for his character’s thoughts and feelings and you, the reader, become Ox.

I fell in love with the Bennett family, their loyalty and compassion for one another – how they help Ox reach his full potential and become the man they knew he could be from the start. I really
enjoyed reading Ox’s progression into adulthood with his childhood traumas making him feel that he didn’t belong or was not worthy enough, his extended family of friend take him under their wing,and we see him coming out shining in the end.

The build-up of Ox and Joe’s relationship was a delight to read, and I never wanted their relationship
to end, I journeyed through the same emotional turmoil as Ox. I did find some of the intimate scenes a bit intense and felt that they didn’t add anything extra for me personally, but I know that some
enjoy a good smutty scene. There have previously been dislikes to the age gap between the characters –Joe is only 10 when he perhaps decides that Ox is his soul mate, though nothing romantic between them happens before they are both consenting adults, so this wasn’t so much of an issue for me.

I enjoyed all the characters, even the villains, and although you are introduced to quite a lot of characters, they each added something, and I felt they were needed for the story progression.

This was my first T J Klune book, and I will certainly be howling this book recommendation to friends. I look forward to reading the follow up stories to what I can only presume will be a trilogy that will get better and better. I need more Bennett wolf in my life!

This book, as many TJ Klune's are was beautiful. Ox was such an interesting and wonderful character to follow throughout. This is not the same as his other books, so do not go in expecting that. But it was lovely in itself and I really enjoyed it.

This was as intriguing as always. Klune is upliftingly generous in his works and i cannot wait to read the rest of the series. Again, another indulgent story that keeps us going.
I was immediately hooked. A fast paced, effortlessly quick read where the pages just turned themselves and I was engaged throughout.

I've always thought the paranormal fantasy genre was just Not For Me. T. J. Klune single-handedly changed this by giving me a beautiful found family of gay werewolves. Wolfsong by TJ Klune was a great, queer paranormal romance with solid character arcs and profound moments.

When Ox's father leaves, he gives him an important lesson: he is not worth anything and people will give him shit for it. A couple of years later, on a dirt road, Ox meets a ten-year-old boy who will change his life forever. Ox becomes fast friends with the boy, Joe, and spends time with his family, which has moved in next door. He soon discovers the Bennetts have a secret: they are a pack of werewolves. Ox becomes close to them quickly and basically gets adopted into the pack. But the Bennetts' world is more dangerous than he thinks, and soon, Ox might lose everything he has fought for.

First, let's discuss the elephant in the room: the age gap. From the reviews I've seen, it has numerous people upset. Ox and Joe meet when Joe is 10 years old and they become friends after that. Ox, at this point, is sixteen. For the longest time, Ox perceives Joe as a little brother, while Joe clearly has a crush on Ox. When Joe is seventeen is the first time Ox feels any sort of attraction for him, but they pretty much just go on one date and kiss one time before they separate. Personally, I did not think Ox was taking advantage of Joe, and the relationship did not seem predatory at all to me. Relationships can be messy. Dynamics change and evolve with time, which we saw here. Was it weird that Joe decided Ox was his soulmate at ten years old? Sure. But then, so were most of the Bennet's actions. They were werewolves, after all.

The possessiveness and physicality the Bennetts displayed didn't bother me as much as it seems to have other readers. Neither did the mates and alpha tropes. I believe those elements just come with the paranormal romance genre and thus they didn't stick out to me negatively. By including these tropes in a gay relationship, he even subverted them and made them less controversial.

With that being said, the romance in Wolfsong was not the focal point for me. The themes of family, friendship and loyalty were much more apparent to me while reading. They were easily the best part of the book. The found family trope is one of my favorites and this book was shock full of it. Ox's relationships with Gordo, the guys from the garage, and the Bennetts were genuinely heartwarming, especially considering Ox's issues with his father.

Ox's character arc was well done. While he may not be book smart and doesn't seem that complex at first, he is emotionally intelligent and grows up to become a great man. We saw Ox grow up in this book. In that sense, Wolfsong almost read like a coming-of-age. He goes from being an insecure, sad young boy to a confident leader. Wolfsong was my first book by Klune and I'm pleasantly surprised. Although I had to get used to the writing style, Klune's prose supported Ox's character voice well. Moreover, I liked how Klune explored toxic masculinity throughout Ox's arc. Klune also excels at demonstrating characterization through dialogue. Dialogue, which, might I say, was pretty damn funny.

The tone in the second half of the book gets a lot darker, which I liked. We also got a clear-cut villain which a larger scope to the story. However, the worldbuilding was clearly lacking. There was never a real explanation of how magic worked in this world, and the information we got about werewolves was far and few in between. I hope this improves in the sequels.

Some comparisons - and I'm sorry to say this - with Twilight popped into my mind while reading. From the sleepy, small town setting, the mysterious new family arriving, and the dark forests, to the paranormal romance, I couldn't help but think 'Twilight'. Probably because that's the only experience I have in the genre. Klune wasn't above making fun of himself and even referenced the Twilight movies, so I don't feel that bad for comparing the two.

On to the negatives. The book could have easily been 100 pages shorter. The first half, especially, contained a lot of filler chapters, which could have been cut. Some scenes seemed unnecessary to me, while others could have been shortened significantly. Thus, around the halfway point, I started to lose interest a bit. Moreover, the relationship between Ox and Joe once they are adults could have used more development. After the conflict, they basically have one angry conversation and everything's fixed. I couldn't see any real connection or chemistry between them after the separation. As for the general plot, I would have liked there to be a better showdown at the end. Still, I enjoyed reading Wolfsong and will pick up the sequels. 3.5/5 stars.

After having read and adored some of Klune’s most recent works, I had a feeling I was also going to love this one and I was right. This book was raw, intense and emotional and I ate it up. I got attached to the characters pretty much immediately and found myself so invested in their story that I just couldn’t let go. It is so heartbreakingly beautiful and full of so much love! I can’t recommend it enough. I laughed, cried, swooned and gasped, and I’m pretty sure my heart stopped beating a few times too, but it was all so worth it and I’m so glad I got to know these amazing characters that I can’t wait to go back to Green Creek and see what else life has in store for them in the rest of the series. 4.5 out of 5 stars!

Thank you to Pan MacMillan for approving my request for this title via NetGalley!

Short version:
✅ Characters (except Joe, who I didn't like from 17 years old onwards)
✅ “Found family” trope
✅ Plot + setting
✅ Action (really excellent descriptions!)
✅ The queer rep + spicy and well-done sex scenes (I obviously don’t have experienced sex between two men, since I am a woman, but I trust T. J. Klune)
🆗 Romance
🆗 Writing style (it was not my cup of tea, but there are certainly readers for it)
❌ Possessiveness, toxic relationship

Longer version:
Written in first person, Wolfsong (Green Creek #1) follows Ox, from 12 to 23 years old, and tells his story. A story about a boy who was abandoned by his father and thought he was going to take shit his whole life until he meets the Bennet family.

I enjoyed the writing style at first, but then it became melodramatic and overly repetitive, like a broken record, dragging the plot more than it should have. Still, I have to congratulate the author on the way he can transport the reader to Green Creek so well. The visual descriptions are very real, from the environment to the action and sex scenes. I also really liked the ‘synesthesia’ thing between the pack: I loved how they could describe their feelings in colours. And, save for some exceptions, the interactions were both heartwarming and fun.

My favourite character was probably Ox. I think he’s really well fleshed out, and since he’s the narrator, it is easier to connect with him. I also loved his relationship with Gordo and the boys, and Carter and Kelly, all amazing characters. As for Thomas and Mark, I don’t think they get enough screen time. And, unfortunately, the women are only there to be emotional soundboards and to soothe the men when they feel angsty and need advice (I only really saw Jessie when she joined the pack and turned out to be badass).

Regarding romance, which is a big part of the story, I don’t mind the age gap, but I didn’t like how their relationship developed. Joe is ten years old when he meets 16-year-old Ox, and‌ gives him his stone wolf, which has a very special meaning. Given the circumstances in which Joe meets Ox and the absolutely traumatic experience he’s been through so far, I feel like there’s a substantial unbalanced power dynamic, which is not fair for Joe. And then, it’s not fair for Ox either, because the Bennet family knows what he means to Joe from the beginning and never tells him, even though their friendship is obviously toxic (too much dependence and obsessiveness). It also struck me as strange how Ox, who has always seen Joe as a little brother, wakes up one day and is sexually attracted to him. When this happens, Joe is still a minor. And while they don't get sexually involved until much later, there’s at least one kiss before Joe turns 18. And then, it gets worse, because Joe is no longer a minor, but he’s very possessive and primal, which I absolutely disliked. The sex scenes between them are very descriptive, which was fine by me; I think they are very well done. But it grated at me that the reader is force-fed this relationship as being loving when it's anything but.

So, I enjoyed the book, but, in hindsight, I didn’t like it, and I won’t read more of the series.

The title of this review should be ‘I’m not crying, you are’ because it’s probably the best summary of my feelings, experience and general emotional response when reading this (or any TJ Klune book)

I first found TJ’s books about 18 months ago when I first stumbled across The House in the Cerulean Sea and fell in love with TJ’s writing, it was love at first read, but I didn’t realise it was until I read Under the Whispering Door that I realised I wasn’t just smitten !

To bring it back to Wolfsong, I was aware of The Green Creek Series (Wolfsong is book one) but hadn’t gotten around to reading it when Tor bought the series and were releasing it. (Cue me running off to Waterstones to preorder their gorgeous edition) So I was so happy when I got an ARC from Black Crow PR to read before I get my hands on the precious !

From the very first pages of Wolfsong I knew my love affair with TJ’s books is definitely a lifelong thing, I love it when within the first chapter you know you’re going to love a book, you’re going to be emotional and you’re going to want to savour it, but will not be able to put this down. (the only reason I didn’t devour in one sitting was because of the pesky day job that enables me to buy my precious’s)

Ox, just Ox, my love, my sweetheart, I want to wrap him up and give him a big cuddle most of the time I’m reading. TJ writes these characters that I’m so attached to that I just wish they existed in real life so I could be friends with them. Then we have Joe, who when we first meet him is 10 years old and if you think I want to squish Ox in love, I would just wrap Joe in cotton wool and look after him like one of my fur babies at this point, adorable, heartbreaking past, so obsessed with Ox and when Ox meets Jess, my heart broke for him (no spoilers here so it’s the last I’ll say on that, but just that initial Joe confusion melted me and he’s 10 so wouldn’t understand and then the tether scene - I think TJ is trying to kill me with emotion)

TJ Klune’s writing manages to make me feel emotions in a way I don’t think many other writers do, I’m struggling to name another who makes me feel like these books. I’m not critical of the other authors, each has their own unique styles and talents and I love everyone of my favourite goto authors for any different reasons, but TJ manages to take my emotions, my heart, put them through the wringer and at the end I’m grateful for it and like a child screaming again, again - overgrown Veruca Salt here Daddy (TJ) I want…… (more books!)

I love the fact that in this, although the romance is obviously focused on Ox and Joe, that the pack is so central and so much of a focus too, it’s not just the Ox and Joe show, every character and family member is an integral part of the story/family/pack. I loved so many other characters Gordo, Matt, Carter, Chris, Kelly, Tanner , Rico you get the point ! TJ writes such fantastic characters its so hard to pinpoint your favourite ( kind of like your kids you can’t choose a favourite, this is me with books anf characters - I love you all so much)

So, I think I best summarise because I’ll be gushing about my love for TJ and his books and this book in particular forever if I don’t rein myself in. This is an enthralling book, one with writing that is truly beautiful, it’s heartbreaking but it also mends your heart and puts it back better than it was to start. Features found family, second chances, powerful bonds, love and obviously werewolves.

I’d like to thank netgalley, Black Crow PR, Tor Books/Tor UK and TJ Klune for honouring me with an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review (and not making me wait even longer to continue my obsession)

Oh and I’m not crying, you are !

First things first, I wasn't expecting this book to end up meaning to me as much as it did. I've just finished it and I'm just lying here writing this review and being unable to think of anything other than lovelovelove.
I have seen this book recommended and talked about countless times but I never felt any pull towards it because it was so clearly about werewolves and isn't that just very Twilight-y? Even though I had my own Twilight phase during my teen years, I didn't think I would willingly read any book about werewolves. I just wasn't interested you know?
But then as I said, I kept seeing it recommended and talked about so fondly by so many people whose opinions I trust and so I ended up giving in when I saw it was on Netgalley for the new editions. And I'm just gonna say I'm glad I gave in okay? Because I am.
I really don't know how to give a summary of it without spoiling something so please look up the synopsis if you're interested in the following things:
- well-written fantasy
- tonnes of yearning
- amazing queer rep <3 (MC is bi and other queer side characters are there)
- mates and bonds. Look you're gonna have to trust me on this okay? I know it sounds tacky and weird but if there ever was a book that will not make you regret ever hearing the word "mate", it's this one.
- did I mention the yearning?
- family dynamics in form of packs.
- love, loss, grief, anger, just about every emotion you can think of.
- pain and yearning just seep off the pages, you'll be crying at a lot of points, keep tissues with you. <3

The writing style, obviously enough from the above points, was of course great. It made me feel things and cry and just, and I love it when I find books with such writing styles okay? It made me feel every emotion and everything Ox goes through so deeply and I just loved it so much <3333

The characters? Chef's kiss, each one of them. I do feel like it was just Joe and Ox after half of the book but hey, it was their time so, no complaints <3 I saw that the next book is about Gordo so I'm obviously very eager to get to it soon and I would also not mind Carter and Kelly getting their own books, thank you very much. And oh, Robbie as well <3

Every relationship in this book was so amazing, the friendship, the bonds, the platonic ones, the romantic ones, ahhhh each one of them just <3333333333 I especially loved Ox and Joe, SO MUCH! Ah, the yearning made my heart hurt but in a good way :')

Okay, that's pretty much it, now go read it <3333333 Please check TWs!!!

5 gazillion sob-filled stars for this amazing, emotion-pummelling, soul-wrenching, life-affirming story of love, loss and belonging. Grab a box of tissues, a glass of something fortifying and your favourite comfort food then sit down and indulge in a book of unparalleled brilliance.


This is a long book which should have taken me at least 4 or 5 days to read.
I read it in 2.
I ignored my family.
I ignored the housework.
I ignored sleep.
I ignored everything.
I ignored it and read and read until I'd finished the story.


Narrated entirely from Ox's rather unique perspective this book was everything I didn't know I wanted and needed. I cried after the first few pages, I cried after a chapter or two, and I cried on and off the whole way through this book. Particularly at the mention of soap bubbles - *sniffle*. There are only a handful of books that have made me cry as much as this one and all are on my list of favourite reads ever. Without a shadow of a doubt, this one will be added to that list.


Wonderful, inspiring, captivating, this heart-breaking and heart-achingly beautiful tale, filled with love in all its many forms repeatedly broke and then put me back together. Unputdownable doesn't even begin to describe how this book made me feel. Once I started it I just had to keep reading, had to know what happened next, had to know if Ox and Joe would get their much deserved HEA.


I fell hook, line and sinker in love with Ox. So much so that I refuse to believe he isn't a real person, living in a house on the edge of Green Creek, Oregon. From the moment we met him, as a scared 12-year-old boy abandoned by a selfish, uncaring father, he took up residence in my heart. Ridiculed and bullied for being simple, Ox might not be book smart but he had a way of looking at the world, at situations, that most of us can only aspire to.

Don't get me wrong, the story wasn't all angst-filled doom and gloom. There are some truly joyous moments in this book. There were warm and loving family - found or otherwise - scenes and some amazingly <s>rude</s> funny banter between the characters. There were also some that mixed the two particularly the scene of Joe, in a bow tie, asking Ox's mum if it was OK to court Ox. - *swoon*

Wolfsong was unlike anything I have read before, as far from the mainstream of shifter romances as I think it's possible to get. With its strong focus on the relationships that Ox develops with all the (eventual) members of his pack the paranormal elements, whilst important, felt like a very natural part of the story. I feel sure this story could be enjoyed by those who would never normally read a PNR or shifter book. I recommend this book full stop. It's one of those stories you want everyone to have read and loved as much as you did.

I had no idea that gay werewolf romance was a genre I needed in my life, but here we are. I will say, that this is definitely not a/b/o, it is just werewolves, and the normal sort of pack structure that may or may not be super accurate, but that works very well for this book (and series).

I really loved this book, and the entire series. Each book in the series looks at a different couple within the pack, and this one focuses on the main couple, Ox and Joe. It feels like a bit of a bildungsroman, as we initially meet Joe when he's only 10 years old, and by the end he's an adult. I haven't read any other werewolf books, but what I did like with this one is that it's more about the family. Obviously they are a pack, but it's also a metaphor for family, both biological and found, which I really love. Klune is great at writing found family and with this book it's no different.

This is not an easy book to read. It has the same emotional gravitas that Klune's other books have (especially Under the Whispering Door), but in a completely different type of story. And while maybe this would be considered romance, there is SO much else happening, that the romance takes a bit of a back seat. But it is still there and it is just perfect.

Lastly, I must say, that I am absolutely in love with the rerelease cover art. It is gorgeous, I have pre-ordered it from Waterstones so that it can sit on my shelf and look pretty. =)

packpackpack

Found family is one of my favourite tropes. The slow burn was very slow, but as someone whose favourite romance is Kulti, I enjoyed it; I thought it added more depth to characters where we could really explore who they are.

It gives very much YA vibes which Wolfsong would as a YA book, but it at times felt like Twilight YA; maybe that's just because for a brief period in the early 2010s, Werewolf fiction on Wattpad was all I read but Wolfsong at times felt like an amalgamation of every Werewolf fiction trope and not in a good way. I'm not sure if that's why I had such a hard time getting into it - because it was hard; I read chapter one, and it took like a week to read chapter too, which was weird because normally I'm a fan on the cliche supernatural romance tropes.

I'm not too sure what to give Wolfsong, so I'm giving it a three. I like age gap romances but when it starts when people are children do I find it odd... kinda will I get over it for this book I hope so. I'm going to try and re-read this before the year is over in the hopes of settling on an opinion.

There are a few trigger warnings which I normally wouldn't highlight as someone who reads dark romance, but it wasn't something I expected going into Wolfsong, so it was definitely a surprise when reading. There's violence and abuse.

Thanks to Netgalley, Pan Macmillan, and Tor as I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Book #188 of 2022.

Ox first meets Joe when the latter is 10 years old and his family move into the house next door on an isolated track in Green Creek. They develop a strong and unusual bond, which spreads to the rest of the family and is solidified when Ox discovers their biggest secret ...

This is not Klune's best book - there is an overarching atmosphere of melancholy to it even when good things are happening. However, it is filled with his signature warmth and masterful narration and well worth a read! My only gripe is that it could have been a fair bit shorter - there are some places that felt very slow.

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

You know when you're reading a book and you just can't stop crying? Well, this is it. I ran out of tears with this one. I don't even know how I got this attached to all the characters so quickly.

I will say, though, that I liked the first half of the book much more than I liked the second. Once the whole Richard Collins plot started, it lost a little magic for me. But the beginning. The beginning, people. It was candy canes and pinecones and epic and awesome and so so wholesome all I want to do is go back and read it again.