Wow! Not sure what I expected but this is a long way from the wholesome feel of House On The Cerulean Sea. A lot more visceral and gritty, the pace is punchier and the language a lot more explicit.
That said - I loved it. Probably the best werewolf book I’ve read, and I loved the fact that Ox is human. This is a love story, and a story of found family. This is about fighting to keep loved ones safe and about what family means.
A definite recommend!

”People could be cruel. They could be beautiful, but they could be cruel too. It’s like something so lovely can’t just be lovely. It also has to be harsh and corroding. It’s a complexity I didn’t understand.”

My first TJ Klune book… and it didn’t pull its punches. I already knew from word-of-mouth that Klune writes excellent LGBT books and I’m so happy that I finally got to experience one!

Now, if you told me before starting the book that I would become irreversibly attached to a family of sexually fluid werewolves and witches where the main two characters are in a M/M romance… well, I’d have 100% believed you, to be honest. The found family trope in this book was nothing less than perfection and for me, was the shining quality of this book.

So, why haven’t I rated it higher?
I actually really struggled to rate this. There was so much to love about this book but but what I didn’t love were elements that really got under my skin.

I was uncomfortable of the romance, there was a six year age gap—which isn’t bad in the grand scale of things—but Ox and Joe’s romance started when Joe was 10 and Ox was 16. And yes, I know nothing romantic happened during that period of childhood but it was incredibly heavily implied. And then as the romance develops (when Joe is 17, Ox is 23), I needed the dialogue to mature more so I could move on from my internal image of Joe as a child. I mean, that’s still a pretty young age to get with your soulmate who has watched you grow up since you were ten years old. I needed something that really advanced them as a couple so I wasn’t thinking of 10-year-old-Joe. Thankfully, the plot does help in that regard.

Also, it was pretty repetitive. The first few times felt good, felt like emotions were being processed and thought processes were being worked out, but after numerous amounts of the same sentences, it did get tiring. I found my eyes sorta skipping over those parts.

However, I didn’t want to end this review on a bad note, because this book has a lot to give. And us readers only need to take. I really enjoyed Klune’s writing, it actually reminded me of Stephen Chbosky’s writing as it has that carefree way of being on the page yet is consistently poignant.

Also, I was utterly absorbed reading this book. My child went to bed almost 45 minutes after his bedtime because the minutes slipped by me like sand in an hourglass. This story took me places… I laughed, I cried, but ultimately, I became part of the Bennett pack.

I can’t wait to read the rest of the series.

I have finally read this book after letting it sit on my tbr list for many years and I can’t believe I wasted so much time without this book in my life.

This story had a weirdly addictive quality and the writing style made it hard for me to be able to stop reading. Even taking breaks was difficult because I struggled to find moments where to stop, because it simply flowed.
This book took its characters through grief, heartbreak, happiness, love and anger, and yet there was a true comfort in reading about their lives, about seeing the colors.

It’s true, the love story felt cringy at times, the age gap was troubling at first, even though it was handled well. But what I loved with all my heart was the fact that these characters made me laugh so darn much. The bickering, the banter between the pack members was simply absolute perfection. Fun group dynamics are my favorite thing to read about and Wolfsong did not disappoint. I can’t begin to tell you how much I loved Carter and Kelly and Rico and Chris and Tanner and the way they interact.

I usually don’t like book series where we don’t follow the same couple in the sequels, but for all of them, I’ll make an exception and read all the other books.

On the day his father left, Ox was told one thing, that people were never going to understand him, and because of it, they would treat him badly.

This one lesson has remained with him. No matter what he does, what he achieves, the lesson his father gave him before he left forever, is enough that it colours his every thought.

Ox is different, he is large, and a little slow when speaking, but he’s bright, determined, and he cares so much that he will always put others before himself.

When he’s 16, Ox meets the boy who will change his life forever, though at the time it’s not quite clear how 10-year-old Joe Bennett, a tiny whirlwind who doesn’t stop talking, will go about doing it.

And thus begins the story of Ox and Joe, two friends who will grow to mean even more to each other as the years pass. Of course, what isn’t clear, to begin with, is that Joe and his family, Carter, Mark, Joseph, Elizabeth and Kelly are werewolves.

The discovery of the family secret is yet another step closer to Ox finding his true path, his destiny.

The story is a long and winding one, spanning many years, much heartbreak and a good number of tears. For Ox and Joe are destined, and as much as you can fight destiny, when it comes knocking on the door it’s impossible to ignore.

I enjoyed reading the slow burn of the relationship between Ox and Joe - a slow development that, given Joe’s age when they meet for the first time. I have to admit that initially, I found elements of this particular plot uncomfortable, especially when Ox was so much older when they met for the first time. However, when both characters were much older the gap was no longer one that felt wrong.

I kept on dipping in and out of the book, not because I didn’t enjoy it, but because it was such a heavily emotional read that it was somewhat draining at times.

Ox is a complicated character, with many conflicting and painful thoughts, his memories of his father, the terrifying and bloodthirsty loss of his mother, and then being abandoned by the man-boy who claims to love him but has to leave to get revenge…

I don’t want to spoil the ending, or the big plot twist, but I will say, reading how Ox discovered his strength despite everything he was going through made me angry with the people who abandoned him, made me want him to get the happy ending he deserved.

I went into this expecting something incredibly similar in writing style to The House in the Cerulean Sea (which I keep on recommending to everyone) and though Wolfsong has many of the same qualities, I would say that I won’t recommend this to the same people, because where the love story in that was gentle and pretty 12a friendly, this book is anything but. I am just glad I read it when I was at home, alone so the blushes weren’t seen by anyone else, because oh boy…this got hot, steamy and downright explicit!

What I was looking for: I heard good things about TJ Klune’s books so I wanted to see what all the hype was about. Also LGBTQ+ werewolves.

Conclusion: Unfortunately, the book was not for me. And I was put off right from the start, when Ox’s father tells him (and the young child believes his father), that he is just that stupid and not good for anything. I cannot stand this and I felt it was never truly challenged or addressed how messed up that is. Then the age difference of the main couple was too big for me, especially as they started out with a big brother/little brother dynamic. The writing was too slow and repetitive for me and I had trouble following the story when, during dialogues, the characters never clearly say what they mean but only hint at meanings and feelings. I often did not understand what was meant so I missed a whole lot and it was not emotional but boring to me.
Thank you Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for this eARC.

Wolfsong by TJ Klune is the first book in the Green Creek Series. It’s a paranormal romance and it’s the story of Ox and Joe.
 
Ox is from Green Creek and this small town is his home. A lot of people think he is weird and even his own father said something along those lines, and that was just so sad because Ox is amazing. He is such a strong character who learns that he is worth everything while also being there for his friends and family.
 
Joe comes from a paranormal family and his family connection is so powerful and I loved all members of his pack and can’t wait to read the other books in this series. Joe experienced something very traumatic in the past and Ox plays a big role in his healing. He will be the new alpha and grows into this role throughout the book.
 
The plot of this book is so enthralling, and you follow the characters throughout the course of several years and this makes it even better to feel their connection and see them grow as persons. The romance was also very cute and wholesome, and I just love Ox and Joe together.
 
Overall, this book is my new favorite werewolf romance and I also want to be part of Ox and Joe‘s pack. 5 stars.
 
(ARC kindly provided in exchange for a review.)

An interesting book - the first half moves along fairly slowly building the Found Family of Ox . Joe, first his friend later his lover, is a young boy at the start of the book and Ox a teenager and the story follows them as they grow up and into themselves. Joe knows what he's destined to grow into, but that doesn't mean the path is easy for him. Ox though is brought into a whole different world with his relationship with Joe.

Ox is an interesting character. He's not passive, I think I'd describe him as accepting, both of himself and of where he finds himself, although he's able to make a stand if he has to. He's a character with a huge quiet strength and I found myself despising his father and others who put him down so casually. It's the story of his found family and the trials that family are pulled into.

I loved the first half of this book, I wasn't quite as keen on the second half when the conflict started. I'm on the fence between 3 and 4 stars, but I'm going for 3 - I enjoyed reading this book and will look for others by the author, but I won't re-read it.

Wolfsong is a book about family and love and belonging and identity and friendship and life and living.

It broke my heart several times, I literally cried so hard my chest actually started hurting and I got dizzy. It's the worst book ever because of the heartache it put me through and I love it more than anything. Ox and Joe are the worst and I would give my life for them, they are never ever allowed to get hurt ever again in any way. I will never experience that kind of love and it's sent me into a spiral. Possibly in a good way. Possibly not.

Coherency? I don't know her. This book broke me. I can't even put into words how deep it hit me.

Ox is everything, I love him so much. I love them all but Ox? He's so incredible. I'm so proud of him and so happy for him and I'm hurting for him but most of all, I love him.

Wolfsong has broken me and healed me and I still feel raw and hurt and emotional and in love and just all the feelings. Truly, this book was an emotional rollercoaster and I'm in awe of how TJ Klune managed to make me FEEL so incredibly deeply. The way he does characters and relations, be it family or found family or other kinds of love, both in this and The Extraordinaries is amazing and I can't get enough of it.

I'm so grateful for having read this book but I also know I need some time to recover before I continue the series.

I don't know whether to send TJ Klune flowers or sue him for emotional distress and loss of sanity. Probably both.

Unfortunately this was not the book for me. Having enjoyed other books by this author, I expected more of the same, but I didn't enjoy the writing style or elements of werewolf lore.

That said, it was well written and others might enjoy it.

Wolf song by TJ Klune
I give this book 5 stars

Ox was 16 when the energetic Bennett family moved in next door, harbouring a secret that would change him forever. He finds an ally in Joe, the youngest who is charming and handsome, but haunted by scars he cannot heal.
Ox was 23, when murder came to town.Violence flared, tragedy happened and Joe left town.
3 years later, the boy is back. Except now he’s a man – and Ox can no longer ignore the song between them.

A heartwarming and heartbreaking story in equal measure.A book that totally immerses you and makes you feel.Exquisite characterisation,powerful love and bonds, found family relationships,fear,enemies,
humour and more………
We journey along with Ox from boy to man and his connection to Joe melted my heart.The author has created something so beautiful and eloquently written both human and paranormal that l fell more in love as I read.
Give me book 2 of this series ……now!!!
Thank you to Netgalley,TJ Klune and Pan MacMillan Tor for my chance to read and review this book

This is a book unlike anything TJ Klune has ever written before.
Wolfsong is a lyrical, emotionally devastating novel about family, love, and packpackpack. TJ proves he is the king of slowburn with the romance between Ox and Joe, and honestly? I know for a fact it only gets better from here!

Ox Matheson was twelve when his father taught him a lesson: Ox wasn’t worth anything and people would never understand him. Then he left.

Ox was sixteen when the energetic Bennett family moved in next door, harbouring a secret that would change him forever. For the family are shapeshifters, who can transform into wolves at will. Drawn to their magic, loyalty and enduring friendships, Ox feels a gulf between this extraordinary new world and the quiet life he’s known. He also finds an ally in Joe, the youngest Bennett boy. Joe is charming and handsome, but haunted by scars he cannot heal.

I've loved TJ Klune's other recent works but this one just wasn't for me. Initially I was invested in the found family vibes, but I just couldn't get past Joe and Ox's age gap, and then for a book that kept telling me over and over that Ox was slow, and not smart, the writing seemed to forget about that whenever it was convenient.

Wolfsong, is as the name suggests, a paranormal love story. A story of friendship that spans decades. It was BIG in every aspect: big characters, big emotions, big story lore. Although I was invested in these characters, the flow and pace needed tightening in this epic tale.

Wolfsong is the story of Ox Matheson. A human boy, who at the start of the novel is twelve. His life is ordinary until he meets the Bennetts. He connects with all the family, however, he and Joe, the youngest son, form a special bond that grows through the book. I loved these characters and I needed to know how their story ended.

The writing style was unique with duel titles for most chapters, a lot of repetitive phrases, unusual formatting, dialogue and banter. At times it was challenging to read, other times it enhanced the reading experience.
The grand scale of this novel would have suited a duo, a prequel or a series, rather than a single novel in my opinion. There was a lot of build-up, which was important to the character and story development, however, the pace was off. The story felt rushed in some parts, then dragged or became repetitive in others. The inclusion of duel POV may have improved the feel of repetitiveness.

Overall Wolfsong was an enjoyable read, just do make sure you're ready to commit to a new complex world, as there are more books to follow Wolfsong.

I went into Wolfsong with very few expectations - I suspect this may have been the reason it took me a little longer to get into than some of Klune's other works. Those expecting the comforting cosiness of The House in the Cerulean Sea or Under the Whispering Door probably ought to do what I failed to do and to read the blurb first - that's on me.
Because while this book does draw on many of Klune's themes from his later works (namely unpacking toxic masculinity and delving into found family) it is rather more sad - dare I say angsty?
As someone who hasn't read a lot of paranormal fiction I found this quite fresh in feel - I don't know what a veteran of the genre might think. I did have to suspend my normal reaction to some of the age difference aspects of the story - these are handled well in my opinion and the book doesn't feel like it's glorifying relationships with a large age difference but it was very much using the part of my brain that way back in the day justified Jacob imprinting on Renesme. Doable but don't think about it too hard. Remember they aren't really humans!
I think this book really gets going at around the halfway mark, with quite a slow start. I do think that slow start is necessary as it paves the emotional path for the rest of the book, something that makes the devastating blows of the second half all the more powerful.
Overall while this book wasn't the cosy fantasy I might have been initially expecting, it nevertheless tapped into some really wholesome places and I can entirely see how it fits alongside TJ Klune's other works - this is a more raw emotional book perhaps but the overall story is a positive one.
Also spicy scenes! Just saying.
Would I recommend this? Yes. I think prepare yourself for a long book with a lot of sadness in it - but a good read that will touch your heart.

A free advanced reading copy of this title was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review:

After hearing a lot about this series, I was very excited to get an advanced copy of Wolfsong to review, and unfortunately I think the hype made me a little disappointed by the end result. I've seen a few other reviews for this book, which describe the main romance as reading just like fanfiction, and I see where the similiarities lay. The dialogue between the characters is often lighthearted and funny, but I found that the text as a whole lacked the depth I wanted from this book. The topics discussed (poverty, abandonment, kidnapping, and child abuse to name a few) could have lended this book a much richer (albeit darker) texture, but instead a lot of it felt glossed over and for the Bennett's in particular, I never felt like it had a lasting effect on them. Ox's personal fears and motivations felt considerably more developed in comparison, making him easily my favourite character of the book and the only one that I could say that I even liked. His first chapter where his father is leaving the family, and he tries to tell Ox but Ox doesn't pick up on it and believes his father will be returning, broke my heart. There was something so tangible about Ox missing the cues of the conversation and believing himself to be stupid, perhaps due to his narrative style that has a rhythmic and repetitive nature that felt like it would be best read aloud. For all that Gordo claims that Ox didn't talk much as a kid, Ox's inner-voice reminds me of slam poetry.

As for the plot, a lot of it felt predictable in that it follows a lot of YA-werewolf-story tropes and patterns. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, as the <spoiler>part where Ox finds himself a human-Alpha</spoiler> was one that I saw coming and enjoyed a lot. While I've mostly grown out of YA and haven't read a paranormal romance book for a long time, I found that plots similiar to that of Wolfsong work best with a rich and dynamic worldbuilding, which for me this book was lacking. Witches-in-packs and werewolf-governments felt thrown in without a moment's pause, and I kept expecting parts of the story to connect and come together, such as why Ox's father left their family, but unfortunately that aspect of the story was as realistic as it comes. These both relate to the fact that unlike most books I read, where I experience the narrative fluidly and anticipate that my questions will be answered at the narrative's own pace, I expected to be told rather than to be shown. Unfortunately, this also relates to the characters' dynamics. For a main romantic couple that I'd seen a lot of love for online, I didn't see what Ox and Joe saw in each other or why they were supposed to be mates, other than that I was explicitly told that's what they were.

From the start of the book I believed that the love interest would be Carter, being a character closer to Ox's age. Joe was never an option for me until it was made clear that the other characters weren't going to be given nearly as much page time (throughout the book I felt like every character other than Ox had only just been introduced in passing, without giving me a chance to connect with any of them—perhaps since Klune was leaving their development for their own narratives in the series).

On another note, I'm definitely falling on the side of reviewers uncomfortable with the age gap between Ox and Joe. I would have had less of a problem of the two meeting at such a young age if romantic feelings hadn't developed until they were both much older, but as it was, reading about a twenty-three year old being sexually attracted to a seventeen year old that he had 'suddenly' seen as more than a kid, didn't sit right with me.

All in all, I read this book rather quickly and found it easy to binge-read as Ox's narration is easy to follow and the plot exciting enough to draw a reader in, even though I didn't feel the 'pull' that many readers had with this story. It's unlikely that I will read the rest of this series given that they're from other characters' perspectives and I felt like Ox's narrative reached a satisfying ending, but I'm still glad to have read Wolfsong and grateful for the introduction of Ox into my life (as I now have a houseplant named after him).

This sounded like the perfect book for me. Angsty, supernatural, probably possessive love, fated mate etc. Unfortunately I hated the writing style, it was so choppy and felt like no showing, all telling. I felt too distant from the characters to feel anything for them and a lot of them all faded into one, with little character development to tell them apart. It was also much, much too long and incredibly repetitive. I don't need to be told over and over again what his father said to him. I know some of the repeated words (eg packpackpack) were the style of the writing and I'm not including them in the repetition, it was the conversations and ideas which didn't need to be constantly reiterated and revisited to know they were important. There were also no surprises at all in the direction of the story. I'm assuming it is a Twilight fanfic given some of the references, but unfortunately it meant the storyline was quite obvious from fairly early on. Sadly not for me.

I think that this will be a book that you will either love or hate. That being said I’ve come away feeling very conflicted. I love a fantasy world and especially werewolves, and the author’s portrayal of the pack and family was great. However some elements of the book felt overlong and extremely repetitive. If you’re expecting another House in the Cerulean Sea you’ll be very disappointed. I found the age gap between the two romantic leads uncomfortable (10 years and 16 years of age initially), as were the rather explicit sex scenes which came late in the book and were quite unexpected in their nature. This is definitely an adult novel. That being said it contained all the elements of a werewolf novel and maybe that was also the problem as I felt I had read it many times before. I don’t think I will be reading the rest of the series. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read the novel in return for an honest review.

Ox has been told his whole childhood that he’s slow; ‘dumb as an Ox’ his dad says to him, right before leaving him and his mum to fend for themselves. He’s quiet, and needs some extra time to think sometimes, and that doesn’t make him popular with the other kids, but he’s big enough that they mostly leave him alone. Gordo’s Garage is the only place he feels he belongs, until one day he bumps into a very loud, fast boy on the path to his house, and his world changes forever.

I absolutely adored most of the characters in this book - even if some of them massively frustrated me (realistically) at times - and especially Ox. He’s not had an easy time of anything, and yet he continues to be loyal, trustworthy, and kind. The fact that he finds such a wonderful group of people to surround himself with - who know his worth and do their best to make sure he knows it too - filled me with joy, because it’s absolutely what he deserves.

If you’ve come here from House in the Cerulean Sea, there are several things you need to know because this is not that. Wolfsong is sad, tense, heartbreaking, frustrating, and wonderful. It also contains graphic sex - I had mistakenly gotten the impression that this was a YA novel and was therefore a bit surprised when this was present; that was entirely my own mistake.

Overall, I adored Wolfsong and can’t wait for Tor to republish the rest of the Green Creek books in their gorgeous new covers so I can read them!

After reading Under the Whispering Door I knew I wanted to read more by Klune. I had heard about this earlier series by him so when I saw that Pan MacMillan was rereleasing it with a new cover on Netgalley I had to request the book.

Wolfsong is much more than just a werewolf story. It is a story of coming of age. Of becoming who you are. There such a depth and feeling in the story of Ox that it pulled so hard at my heart strings even if I had to get used to Ox as a character at first. But he grows so much as a character.

At the start I had to get used to the writing. It is a bit different than what I am used to. Short sentences, sometimes just words when it is in the head of the wolves. Many times going back to memories. Starting scenes with this is how it went for instance. It is a different style for sure. But it worked to help create the emotional tension. To get into Ox's head and grow along with him.

But what I loved more than anything were the relationships between the characters. How Ox connected with Gordo, Joe and the Bennett's. How the garage guys adapted him into the family. How his relationship with his mother grew throughout all that happened. How they were always there for each other.