It is a hardscrabble life for two brothers living off the land in a cabin built and rebuilt by their dad and Grandfather. Their mother abandoned them as kids, so Dad raised them in this Yellowstone solitude with his own survivor instincts. With their father’s death, Thad and Hazen are left with each other and a mountain of debt. Thad, the older one, has always dominated Hazen. He believes that Hazen acts first and maybe thinks later. Hazen wants more freedom and responsibility to make his own decisions and possibly mistakes. Then the Scot, a seemingly wealthy and scheming businessman enters their life with a shady proposition and ill intent, the relationship between the brothers fractures further.

This is a beautifully written book about family relationships in a stunningly wild setting. The brothers seem to want to support each other and control each other. Add to this an act of violence that unravels what the reader may think. Vibes from this book will be appreciated by Peter Heller fans, as well as those who enjoyed the film “A River Runs Through It.” Images, story and characters linger long after the last page is read. Highly recommended. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this title.

In an aging, timber house hand-built into the Absaroka-Beartooth mountains, two brothers are struggling to keep up with their debts. They live off the grid, on the fringe of Yellowstone, surviving off the wild after the death of their father. Thad, the elder, is more capable of engaging with things like the truck registration, or the medical bills they can’t afford from their father’s fatal illness, or the tax lien on the cabin their grandfather built, while Hazen is . . . different.

This a very descriptive novel with the scenery and wildlife described perfectly. The relationship between the brothers too is characterised brilliantly. I just found the progress painfully slow which made reading it difficult at times. The writing is excellent but the ending feels unfinished. It definitely a slow burn.

Dope literary fiction. The book’s summary describes it as “fast paced” which I would say it’s absolutely not. It’s more a story where one can immerse themselves in this world that is completely foreign to me. Wink excels with the setting and the vivid imagery makes it incredibly easy to “see” the book.

In Beartooth we follow two brothers, Thad and Hazen, whose existence has revolved around their childhood home. The home was built by their grandfather and they know no life outside of this. They were mostly homeschooled by their father and while they have a decent knowledge of school subjects, their survival knowledge is where they feel most comfortable. Struggling with medical bills the brothers take on a risky job in Yellowstone for a not so good dude.

This is listed as mystery/thriller and I really feel like that’s a disservice to this book. In our day and age people mostly read thrillers for the twists and this isn’t a twisty book. It’s a straightforward story with little action. The story really shines in its portrayals of a dysfunctional family. It’s impossible to not feel empathy for nearly every character (ok, maybe not the Scot). Thad and Hazen are “easy” to empathize with, but Sacagawea and Naomi found places in my heart as well. It’s a hard life out in the backcountry and no one is really spared throughout the tale.

Again, if you’re going into this to be flabbergasted by plot twists you didn’t see coming !!! this isn’t going to scratch that itch. It’s almost more of a character study in this wild setting that Wink clearly knows like the back of his hand. It does have strong coming of age vibes, but the focus isn’t on a teenager. Moreso we get to see two brothers who slowly come into their own skin while gradually drifting from each other’s orbits. Solid read for anyone who appreciates literary fiction. Definitely recommend.

A really great horror story from a writer with such a distinctive voice. One of the must reads of 2025 in this genre. I fully recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Spiegal and Grau, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I just love books that take place in the outdoors and wilderness stories. When I read the synopsis of this book, I knew I had to read it. It follows two brothers who live on the outskirts of Yellowstone Park in Montana. They are living alone after their father passed away. They have a lot of hospital bills from their father as well as a tax lien on the house. The brothers are very different. Thad is more responsible, planning and taking care of the bills. Hazen is more attuned to nature and is a bit "different." Being forced with the bills and tax lien, they get involved with a strange local guy called the Scot, who approaches them with a job of illegally poaching elk antlers. The money would help so they take on the job. The story then evolves from there. The brothers going on this adventure and ultimately the relationship between the brothers.

I loved the language, and it was so descriptive that I felt like I was in the cottonwoods and Yellowstone Park. When I was reading this book, I kept thinking about When the Crawdads Sing because that book was very descriptive and is my favorite book. Beartooth is a close second favorite. I have never read Callan Wink's books, but I think I will check them out.

I highly recommend this book. Publication date is 02/11/2025.

Can a book be given more than five stars?
This will be a best seller. I saw in the author’s bio he’s a Wallace Stegner Fellow. I see why he was invited into the highly selective fellowship!

Well written story with well developed characters and a plot line that moves along leaving the reader unsure what’s ahead… that’s a good thing!
Beautiful writing! Beautiful writing… the author has a lovely way of expressing a thought or a small action in nature and very naturally, comfortably using lovely analogous elements or unique words that express a feeling so aptly. Here’s an example:
“ There were cutthroat rising in the slow pool in front of him. He watched their dark shapes torpedo up from the bottom to gulp the small cream colored caddis that were doing their skittering death dance over the surface “.

The author had this uncanny ability to move comfortably from the start of one situation to its end, skipping details that connected the two elements but smoothly bringing the reader along from one status of a situation to a place a bit down the road … smoothly, comfortably but in a unique writing style. So unique it’s hard to describe.
Just read the book !

How evocative! Loved everything about this book. Even the title…. derived from the ( fictitious) Beartooth area where the story takes place.
Thank you NetGalley and publisher Spiegel and Grau for the ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts

4.5/5 ⭐️

Beartooth by Callan Wink is an immensely immersive story about two brothers going to great and dangerous lengths to maintain their way of life. This book immediately drew me in by the cover art and if I’m honest, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect from the story within. Wink’s writing style is incredible, and every few pages had quotes that I was simply blown away by. I felt like I was transported to the wilderness of Yellowstone while reading it, each one of my senses satisfied by the imagery. As a place near to my heart I was extremely pleased with that. If you go into this expecting an extremely suspenseful survival thriller you may be disappointed, as most of the tense moments were quickly moved past and the conclusion to the story was pretty abrupt. Personally, this is not a gripe I had simply due to the wonderful and evocative writing style Wink possesses in this novel. I feel that the quotes within, the characters and their relationships to each other, the setting and overall story will be one that sticks with me. I highly recommend checking this one out as soon as it releases in February!

A huge thank you to Spiegel & Grau and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Spiegel & Grau for this ARC e-copy of Beartooth by Callan Wink.

Two brothers, financially devastated by the death of their father and soon to lose everything they own, take on a risky heist job within the bounds of Yellowstone National Park, setting forth a sequence of events that change their lives forever.

I simply cannot believe that this is a debut novel. The writing is expert, the characterization outstanding, the scenery exquisite. Reading this novel feels like taking warm honey on your tongue. With echoes of iconic novels, namely John Steinbeck’s “Of Mice and Men,” “Beartooth” reads more like a classic than modern literature.

I can’t recommend this book enough. “Beartooth” is perfect for folks looking for a relatively quick and thought-provoking realistic read. Callan Wink is a promising talent who I hope will write more in the future.

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ - EXCELLENT

CW: gore, animal death, death in the family, drug addiction, frequent vomit

Read this in under 24 hours it was so good. I've liked Callan Wink's short stories and his book August, but this is his best so far. Less coming of age and more outdoor thriller a la Peter Heller, the plot of the story takes off right from the beginning and has some great nature descriptions, foreshadowing, and excellent pacing. Very excited to read future books of his.

Reviewed on Goodreads and Storygraph.

Callan Wink's "Beartooth" is a compelling collection of stories that paints a vivid picture of life in rural America. From the very first page, Wink's ability to craft richly detailed settings and complex characters draws readers into the heart of each narrative.

One of the standout features of "Beartooth" is Wink’s masterful use of language. His prose is both poetic and precise, capturing the essence of small-town life and the rugged beauty of the American West. Each story feels like a snapshot of a larger world, and Wink's attention to detail makes these worlds come alive.

The characters in "Beartooth" are beautifully flawed and deeply human. Wink has a knack for exploring the intricacies of relationships, whether it be between family members, lovers, or strangers. The emotional depth of these stories often leaves a lingering impact, provoking thought long after the last page is turned.

Overall, "Beartooth" is a strong offering from Callan Wink, showcasing his ability to capture the raw and rugged nature of American life. It's a collection worth savoring, earning a solid four-star rating for its evocative writing and memorable characters.

Two brothers, struggling to make ends meet after the death of their father, go on a poaching expedition that will change their lives forever.

Beartooth is beautifully written and atmospheric. At first I wasn’t sure if there was enough of a story here, but, it creeps up on you, a powerful story of shifting family dynamics, set against a backdrop of precarity and loss.

Beautifully written! I would say this is more literary fiction than the mystery/thriller it is marketed as, which I’m definitely not complaining about.

I loved the imagery of Yellowstone and the surrounding areas, this book somehow made camping sound appealing. The quiet, hard, but simple, existence of living off the land in the American West is easy to glamourise, it all sounds so idyllic; but the reality of the lives of Thad and Hazen was a grim little peephole into the desperation of small town poverty.

It could have been longer but I liked the ambiguity of it, an enjoyable short read.

Thank you to Spiegel & Grau and NetGalley for the ARC!

Thad and Hazen, are adult brothers living off the land in the timber house their grandfather build bordering Yellowstone. They are not totally off grid, but dang close. They make money cutting firewood, but the debts have risen since their father died after a long illness. To find the money for hospital bills and taxes they poach bear organs to sell for aphrodisiacs. “The Scot” is their connection to this black market and approaches them with a deal to steal artifacts/resources from Yellowstone. Harrowing escapades ensue. Good story, writing, and character development, though I have obvious ethical problems with the killing/poaching and disapproving of the theft of found objects on National Park land. Was disappointed that there was not more character resolution for Hazen, their mother (Sacagawea), and the girl.

I loved August and think Callan Wink is a very talented writer. The characters were two boys you felt like you knew. They were well written. The plot seemed to bounce around and felt incomplete with many loose ends never having any closure.

It felt rushed in the last 25% with so many questions on how things happened and why.

Overall 3/5. The language is good, the characters are good but the story feels incomplete.

Thad’s world is in slow decay. His father has died after a long illness, and with him has gone any semblance of order in the world. His house, shared with his younger brother Hazen, is falling apart. In just a few months it’ll be bought out from under them by an unknown stranger. But there may still be a way to survive. ‘The Scot’—to whom they’ve been selling the fruits of their poaching, and who everyone knows has killed before—offers them a deal: in the national park, there’s a gold mine of shed elk antlers he can sell to his contacts and make them all rich. At first reluctant to invite the attention of the park rangers, one setback after another forces Thad to accept.

Brothers Thad and Hazen are well-realised, as is the sibling bond and (dis)harmony between them. The Scot is calmly menacing, mild-mannered and inscrutable. This book displays a sharp voice which moves from describing winter mud to sketching jolts of grief. Well-paced and propulsive, Callan Wink isn’t afraid to linger in a moment or to draw out a thread of humour. The offhand eeriness invoked by the whispering aspens, by the “pagan ritual” of the Scot’s strange house (later echoed in a very different house), and the constant ghostlike un-presence of the memory of the brothers’ father, lend a deep sense of the uncanny to this slice of the world on the edge of a slumbering Yellowstone. Beartooth is a nature story, a crime novel, a Western; it’s not far removed from Gothic Western. There is no grand confrontation, no easy relief. Though the first half of the book makes overtures towards a straightforward plot, at every turn Wink finds ways to defuse or defang a situation without ever letting up on tone or losing his grip on the voice which sings its passage through this story.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

a very atmospheric and interesting book that i would definitely recommend. the characters and landscapes were sweeping and awesome. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

I read this book in two days and absolutely loved it.

Things I enjoyed about the book:
* Flawed family dynamics
* Brotherly connection
* Pleasantly surprising plot shifts
* Poetic writing style
* Beautiful storytelling
* The setting of Yellowstone and the surrounding area
* Descriptive narratives that made me feel like I was there

This is my first Callan Wink novel, and it won't be my last.

I appreciate the author for writing this book, as well as NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a review.

Beartooth is a gripping, raw survival story set in the wilds of Yellowstone that digs deep into the bond between two brothers struggling to make ends meet.

Thad and Hazen, living off the grid in the harsh Absaroka-Beartooth mountains after their father's death, face mounting debts and an uncertain future. When a mysterious stranger offers a dangerous proposition, the brothers are thrust into a desperate act of survival that will test their relationship and their very lives.

Callan Wink masterfully combines the rugged beauty of the American West with a taut, fast-paced narrative that’s as emotionally charged as it is thrilling. Fans of Peter Heller and Donald Ray Pollock will love this modern American pastoral full of tension, loyalty, and haunting choices.

This is an atmospheric tale of two brothers trying to survive in the mountains of Montana after their father dies. They take care of each other but not much else. In order to pay their bills and eat, they make the very bad decision to work for a shady dude stealing natural resources from Yellowstone. The heist doesn’t go as expected but it does change their lives in myriad ways.

This book is gritty and beautifully written. The relationship between the brothers is the stand out piece of this book, in my opinion. Thank you, NetGalley and Spiegel and Grau for the eARC.