Bored Gay Werewolf was set to catch my attention from the moment I saw its title and cover. Its campy blend of queerness and horror is something I appreciated throughout and I really enjoyed all the characters we are introduced to. There's some interesting commentary on masculinity and homophobia which ties in well with the storyline, although I will say the execution feels a little jarring sometimes. Tonally the book dips between comedic extravagance and a more serious conversational atmosphere, which I found didn't really work. I don't think either portion needed scrapping entirely but it definitely could have felt a bit more seamless. Overall though I enjoyed my time and can recommend both the physical and audio copies of this book!

Ok, if you know me and my tastes, you know that this stuff is not my bag. AT ALL. I'm not big on horror (who can forget my views on Grady Hendrix and swearing blind never to go near the genre again), but this was just bloody fantastic.

Yep. I LOVED IT! 🐺🐺🐺🐺

Honestly. It was hilarious, but strangely believable as well. Perhaps it was because the writing was great and the audio just brought it to life brilliantly - it was really listenable with a great narrator. But honestly. Maybe queer werewolf horror is my jam?!

Brian, Nik and Darby were all so very likeable, and Tyler was equally unlikeable.

This is a debut, and I'm already looking forward to what comes next from Santorella.

I absolutely loved listening to this fun, fast paced audiobook. I thought the narrator was fab and that the author has written an amazing book. I felt that all of the characters were so well written and what an ending, I look forward to listening or reading more by this author.

This book is a wild romp that contains werewolves, romance and pyramid schemes.

As someone who does not normally venture into this world, this was exactly the kind of absurd, self-aware and whip-smart book I needed- it is raucous and silly, but has a compelling voice that really punches home every joke and creates a believable and enjoyable cast of characters.

It is a book that feels like it loves and reveres other books that have before it in the genre, but also enjoys respectfully sending them all up.

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

So fun and an interesting take on the coming of age story. I liked the narrator and powered through this on only a day!

Bored Gay Werewolf was really fun! I enjoyed the humor and overall story about friendship but some parts did feel a bit repetitive. I also think this could have been a little bit more gory!

Thank you, Netgalley for this arc!

This was a pretty interesting book. I love the cover and title, I was immediately drawn to it. I was expecting a more whimsical story, but this book covers deeper topics than that. I loved the diverse characters and found family aspect.

Well I wasn't sure to expect but certainly not that! Whilst it was great to read a bit of light-hearted fun it would have been so much better if it had an actual plot. The irony on the whole toxic masculinity, evil corporations and modern society was not lost on me but the story just lacked a bit of a "problem/resolution'. The tension between Brian and Tyler just didn't quite build to a crescendo and left me wanting. Overall cute but a little weak. The narration of the audiobook was excellent.

The narrator was exceptional.

This had so much potential. It could have been a commentary on American Psycho and it could have been a commentary on Fight Club, which was, of course, commenting on American Psycho. It was there, it just nudged it, but it didn't stick the landing because of the Van Helsing stuff. I know it was about setting up a sequel, but it just didn't work. We knew Abe was important the whole time. Checkov's boyfriend and gun was set up from the jump. There were some rules that were broken. If Brian had the healing factor and had to drink that much to get black out drunk, and was super strong and fast, he wouldn't be out of shape. He is a server with a super active sex life. That would be enough to keep him burning the calories, but factor in the sped up metabolism, then, he wouldn't need to do crossfit to get in shape. The mind focus and control part of it made sense, but the rest didn't. He would be always hungry and wouldn't be able to store fat regardless of what he ate or did.

I enjoyed this book, though I'm not quite sure that it had the substance I was looking for.

In short, this book offers a unique commentary on toxic masculinity and the culture of pyramid-scheme-type businesses. The protagonist is a werewolf, though didn't become one in the usual way (being bitten by another werewolf) and he doesn't necessarily identify as primarily werewolf. The MC meets another werewolf who encourages him to become something the MC isn't, to work on himself by repeating empty mantras that he doesn't believe in, to work out (though he doesn't care about his appearance), to become an alpha (though the thought seems foreign to him).

At the same time, the book is about finding one's "pack", or, better yet, about recognizing who your real "pack' really is.

In short, I liked the content, though I'm not sure the story had a great payoff for me.

I LOVED THIS. This book is pure queer horror fun and I devoured every second. The narration was brilliantly done and I really felt I knew these characters. Brian is a fantastic protagonist, the loner with a heart of gold that can be easily led astray. Mark and Tyler make the perfect mansplaining, hypercritical antagonistic narcissists.

The character introductions (two headed leviathan was my favourite) made me laugh so much and the storyline is gory with a truly gorgeous wholesome theme running through and that is not an easy task. Cannot wait to see what Santorella does next.

Thank you to the publisher for the ALC. I loved this book. It is my new personality my new lifestyle as I am also a bored gay but not werewolf.

Overall I liked this books, although I do feel like there were times where I wasn’t exactly sure where it was going. This is a book that is less about Brian being a werewolf than it is him dealing with falling in with the wrong crowd and having to learn who his true friends are.

You get some corporate (Were)Wolf of Wall Street vibes after Brian befriends some corporate bros and all of the anxiety inducing fun that comes with being queer around those types of people. You also get a strong sense of found family, which I think a lot of people will enjoy.

At times this book left me wanting more, and I wish that it was a little more humorous as implied with the title and blurb, but it was a good popcorn read that I recommend picking up if you get the chance!

The narrator was more than perfect for this book.

Rating: 3.5

Thank you NetGalley & W.F. Howes Ltd for the ALC. A special thanks to Tony Santorella! All opinions are my own.

absolutely bonkers story that felt part The Bear and Wolf of Wall St.

The best part of this book is how well all the characters are fleshed out. My favs being nik and darby who were more than just yes-man bffs for brian. they held him accountable and as the reader it was nice to be able to have someone tell an MC they’re not being themselves.

if you’re in the market for a gay mlm spooky read with large doses of sarcasm and humor. this is book is for you.

thank you netgalley for the arc!! this one’s definitely one to add to the tbr asap!

If you were looking for something fun and paranormal to add to your TBR, Bored Gay Werewolf by Tony Santorella might be the perfect book for you. In Bored Gay Werewolf, we follow Brian, an aimless slacker who is an absolute loner. Having dropped out of college, he now works in a bar as a waiter. He has no ambitions in life and barely makes it through the change into a werewolf every full moon. Luckily, Brian does have work colleagues Nick and Darby who get him through the days, but without being able to tell them his secret, can they really be true friends?
However, all of that is about to change when Tyler walks into Brian's life, he is a werewolf with a plan. A plan to create a pact, and he will stop at nothing to achieve his goal. Bored Gay Werewolf is hilarious and has the perfect commentary on toxic masculinity, friendship, and the existential crises that everyone goes through when they realise that the world is pretty screwed, It also draws some great parallels between capitalism and self-improvement as a cult, and how they actually can go hand in hand quite well.

The narrator captured Brian, and his inner monologue so well, I strongly recommend the audio for Bored Gay Werewolf.

While an interesting critique and look at the effects of toxic masculinity in our world, "Bored Gay Werewolf" falls just short of being properly satirical. Whether it's moments that could've been more camp or ones where the seriousness of the criticism was undervalued by the narrator's humour. Easily adaptable for film and TV.

"BORED GAY WEREWOLF" IS A HOWLING GOOD TIME
🐺 MLM werewolf vs straight man MLM, fight!🐺

SUMMARY

Brian lives in a disaster apartment, sleeps on a floor mattress, and spends most of his wages on getting drunk. He’s also a werewolf. He has no idea how to handle any of this.

When his lycanthropy catches the attention of Tyler, a rich entrepreneur looking to create a werewolf wellness program, Brian is skeptical. As a gay man working double shifts as a waiter, Tyler’s weird masculine self-help startup bullshit is off-putting. But his weird schlock actually kind of helps: not only can Brian better handle his monthly transformations, but he’s also drinking less and working out more.

His co-workers and only friends Nik and Darby are worried about him, but Brian doesn’t buy it until he discovers exactly what Tyler actually wants, and soon he’s in a hell of a lot deeper water than he’d ever meant to swim in.
Cover via Allen & Unwin

REVIEW

Rating: 4.5⭐ out of 5⭐

[!! Be warned: there may be minor spoilers !!]

Writing

The prose is snappy and sharp, written with a dry, sarcastic wit. I normally don’t go for sarcastic narrative voices—I usually find them obnoxious and painfully unfunny—but Santorella’s prose gets its sarcasm on point. The jabs are often self-depricating yet relatable or are aimed at straight culture, toxic masculinity, and/or shitty customers, meaning they hit a deserving target.

I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator did a fantastic job of bringing Brian and the rest of the cast to life. I usually shy away from reading audiobooks for the first experience with a story, since I sometimes struggle to pay attention, follow the plot, or figure out which character was which. However, not only was the prose and plot consistently engaging enough to keep my attention, but the narrator (Anthony Nyro) did such a fantastic job at bringing character’s voices to life that I was never confused as to who was speaking.

Character

Look. Is Brian an awful person? Absolutely. He’s a trashfire who hooks up with married men and doesn’t get all that upset when he accidentally murders someone during his monthly wolf-outs.

Is he relatable? Oh, yeah. He may be a trashfire, but he’s a gay trashfire who works in the service industry and helps his friend Nik study during their shifts and defends his nonbinary femme coworker Darby from asshole customers.

His character is engaging, and the character development over time—especially as he is coming out of his brush with the manosphere—is an excellent exploration of the intersections between manhood, queerness, and community, both the good and the bad.

The side characters, too, are so well-written. Nik and Darby, Brian’s friends, are supportive and understanding. They’re not doormats, though: they both tell him off when he’s being a douche, and hold him accountable. Their reactions to Brian’s shift in personality is realistic.

So too is the representation both characters provide. Nik is a Filipina nursing student, while Darby is a non-binary performance artist. As a non-binary person who is always looking for well-written non-binary characters, I adored Darby, especially since they reminded me a bit of a friend of mine.

The only characters that are stereotyped are done so with intention. Tyler, for example, and the kinds of people he is friends with all fulfill a particular stereotype of rich, white, cishet people who have no clue what it’s like to live in the real world. Even so, they feel realistic.

For example, one cishet women, Sarah, latches onto Brian’s identity as a gay man, expecting him to act as her gay best friend then badgering him about whether he is a top or a bottom in a stereotypically, painfully straight woman manner that any gay will recognize. Brian’s angry outburst in response is satisfying, but also painful. Because he did not play along, Sarah is perceived as the victim by the rest of the group, and Brian’s self-help ‘friends’ do not stand up for him at all.

As a gay person who has experienced that same frustration regarding straight perception of gay culture and identity, this scene—and several others—were deeply relatable.

Thematics

In an age where self-help for men is inundated by personalities like Andrew Tate and Jordan Peterson, a novel like Bored Gay Werewolf, which explores how and why men are sucked into these schemes and what it does to their personality, self-image, and perception of manhood and the world, is vital.

It is especially vital due to the phenomenon of members of the queer community—particularly white members—joining alt-right or conservative movements. Bored Gay Werewolf bluntly exhibits that these movements will only ever use queer people. Joining that movement will offer no respect, protection, or understanding.

Bored Gay Werewolf not only explores how men are sucked in but also how they can get out, placing emphasis on a supportive, diverse community, openness, and emotional regulation. Genuine self improvement is possible, and that it’s not found in a self-help grift but in the people who already love and care for you.

FINAL THOUGHTS

While there were some aspects I wish had been explored more in-depth (such as Brian's relationship with his parents), I nevertheless count Bored Gay Werewolf as one of the best queer books I've read. I was already recommending this book to friends before I finished it. As someone who fits one of the three titular words (I’ll let you make an educated guess which one), I thought the jabs at straight culture, Silicon Valley types, and toxic masculinity were so spot on and absolutely satisfying.

If you want a book that is unabashedly, authentically, messily queer, Bored Gay Werewolf is for you.

Thank you to W.F. Howes Ltd for providing a digital audiobook ARC via Netgalley. If you are interested in Bored Gay Werewolf, it is available now (find more information from the publishers). If possible, I suggest supporting an indie bookshop with your purchase.

This was a fun quick book that I devoured in one morning. I really liked the tone of the book - quick and sarcastic - and I liked that Brian was already a werewolf when the story begins. The book took a little bit to catch me but once it really found its stride I was along for the ride. I loved the take on toxic masculinity and the twist on fitness culture and all of that. My absolute favorite was the scene with 'the talk', especially because the friend group is the best and I loved their interactions. Anthony Nyro's narration really completed the experience.

Bored Gay Werewolf lives up to its attention grabbing title and then some; it’s witty, funny, at times heartfelt, and every bit as entertaining as you would expect a book bearing this title to be.

Bored Gay Werewolf (I will NEVER tire of this title) follows Brian, an aimless, twenty something waiter as he deals with the usual problems endemic to millennials, rude customers in his service industry job, struggling to make rent each month, and turning into a bloodthirsty monster with every full moon. You know, the usual.

He’s aided by his coworkers / friends / confidants, the intelligent, caring, Nik who’s studying to become a nurse and the hilarious, dramatic, non-binary Darby who doesn’t make plans, they “make options”. Brian’s life is derailed once he befriends Tyler, a fellow werewolf who sees entrepreneurial potential in lycanthropy and tries to recruit likeminded wolf bros into his fledgling “Pack TM”. But even as Tyler’s mix of self-help, inspiring tech start up jargon, and workout regimes help Brian contain the beast within, he has to wonder, will he lose an essential part of himself in the process?

This book was a delightful ride from start to finish. I want nothing but the best for these characters and I would die for each of the iconic trio. While the writing is solid throughout and Brian is a relatable, likeable character, the story really shines when he Nik and Darby come together to solve their problems. Without veering into spoiler territory I will say the story is compelling with a satisfying pace and wonderful conclusion that left me wanting more.

This book is what happens when gay werewolves and multi-level marketing have a baby. It was super ridiculous and funny while also being a great story about found family. Usually satire is not my jam because it goes straight over my head but I really liked this one.

As a bonus, there is not a main romance in this. We love to see it. Friendly reminder that queer relationships and queer identities are not determined by the identity of someone's partner or having a partner at all. Thank you and good night.

Actually I'm back to say that there is some explicit scenes in this but there is still not a romance.