I was drawn to this book by the cover and then by the description and it did not disappoint! I was hooked from the very beginning and that doesn't often happen to me when I'm listening to audiobooks. Kelly Pruner did an amazing job as the narrator and it was easy to listen to whether I was walking the dog, doing dishes or driving around.

This story follows Bean and her family as they deal with the grief of losing a brother and a son to an apparent suicide. Bean can't imagine that her brother, Sam, would ever take his life so she decides to search for the truth with the help of a close friend. I loved the way the author developed the characters and their relationships to each other. These relationships changed throughout the book as they all coped with the loss of Sam in different ways. As difficult as it is to read sometimes, I think many readers can and will connect to the raw and honest emotions the characters experience. I also liked the connections to nature. I've never been to northern Minnesota, but the author does a great job describing the setting, which I think really adds to the plot.

Even though I don't share the same beliefs, the Inuit culture was fascinating to learn about. I think the author shares a story of grief, loss and depression in a sensitive way that will connect with a lot of readers.

This was a moving story about grief, about family, and about friendship. One aspect of the story is a pet peeve of mine, so that knocked the rating down for me, but until that happened this was a great story for me.

This story also has references to Inuit beliefs and culture. I can't speak on the accuracy or representation of their culture in this story, but I did think the aspects added something to the story and the relationship Bean had with her brother.

Copy of the audiobook was provided by NetGalley in return for a review. Thank you NetGalley for introducing me to a new author. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for future releases by this author!

This is a book that covers a variety of hard to talk about topics such as suicide, death of a child, how the grief process affects families and spirituality. The main character is Bean a young teen who walks us through the mystery of the death of her brother and her own spiritual journey. A great read for teenagers through adults. Very thought provoking..

I am not in the target range of YA books, but I liked the look of this story and thanks to the publisher Greenleaf Audiobooks and Netgalley had an opportunity to listen to it. I found it an enjoyable listen, with the narrator Kelly Pruner doing a great job of bringing it to life. After her brother Sams suicide, Bean starts to develop suspicions that his death was not as it appeared. She delves around to see if anything else would come to light, and also has an incursion into Inuit beliefs (that Sam had been into) to help with her grieving process. Recommended.

NA it's just Corrin clearing out my personal account and I have to reach a 100 characters in length before I can submit.

I really liked this story about a teenager that is found dead in his bedroom. The authorities say it's a suicide but his sister doesn't believe it. Through soul searching and questioning people around her, she realizes she can't find the answer. But her family goes through the grief process, deals with mental health issues, and in the end, they eventually find the answer. Great storytelling for a really sad subject.

I gave this 3,5/5 stars.
To be fair, the ending kind of made it 3,5 while I first planned on giving it 4. I totally understand the author in wanting to write about this important issue, but it didn't match the rest of the story at all in my opinion. The story led me into a world of spirituality, Inuit traditions and customs, so I thought the ending and the mystery in general would have to do with this, but it was just something entirely different.
In conclusion: I really liked the vibes throughout the book and I liked the characters too, but in my opinion the end could have been better and not wrapped up as fast as it was.

Ooh, this one did not work out for me. Initially, as the story kicked off, I thought it was going to be right up my alley, but as I continued reading, it just settled on the surface instead of digging deeper into certain discussions and topics that were mentioned but just shrugged under the carpet. I was left feeling a little uncomfortable, disappointed and rather unsatisfied. 14-year-old Bean is struggling to deal with the apparent suicide of her older brother, Sam, the only person it appears Bean truly cares about. Bean knows her brother very well, and she’s certain he would never commit suicide. He was full of life and was happy, so why would he suddenly take his life? That’s exactly what Bean intends to find out.

Bean’s family each grieve in their own way and oftentimes don’t operate as a family unit who are all going thought a shared grief. Bean appeared selfish and inconsiderate at times, particularly towards her mother, who she often complained didn’t bother with housework chores such as washing and cooking. Albeit Bean appearing to be quite capable of taking care of her basic needs during these arduous times, she nonetheless has the audacity to disregard her mother’s breakdown and trauma over the loss of her child. After all, everyone grieves in their own way; there’s no right or wrong way to deal with tragedy, and you can’t dictate how a person should or shouldn’t handle a traumatic situation as the loss of a loved one. Bean admitted herself that she didn’t consider just how much Sam meant to Chase and Adam just because they weren’t as close to Sam as she was to him. Seriously? Okay, well, I give her credit for acknowledging her ignorance. She is still young, so I guess I can cut her some slack.

For reasons unknown to me, Bean isn’t close to her two Chase and Adam. The only person Bean cares about, which, at times, can be viewed as slightly obsessive and inappropriate, is Sam, and I still didn’t see why she had such a bond with Sam that she couldn’t have formed with her other two brothers. Chase and Adam didn’t appear to be monsters or mean in the slightest, so I imagine, if she had wanted to, she could have spent more time with them just as she chose to spend time with Sam. I wasn't convinced that Sam was that more caring than the other two, as there’s not much focus on her living brothers as there was on the brother she had loss. I wouldn’t have minded if the focus on Sam reflected more of his belief into the Inuit people and their culture, especially considering the major effect his belief had in relation to his death. Bean claimed to be very close to Sam but knew little to nothing about the thing Sam was most passionate about, that being the Inuit culture. I was trying hard to find out what it was about each other that made Bean and Sam so close, as we never really got to witness their relationship on the account that he died at the onset of the story. I must say, however, that some of the interaction and conversation between Bean and Sam left me feeling uncomfortable, as it didn’t seem the thing to be said between a brother and his sister. At times, their bond appeared sensual rather than protective, which was awkward. I’m all for showcasing love between siblings, but there was something off about this display of affection.

I wanted a lot more than what was offered to me. I wanted to dig a little deeper into the story to get that heart-wrenching tragedy that was promised at the start of the book. I wanted to empathise with the characters, but they lacked motivation and chemistry (I don’t mean romantic, obviously). The reveal behind the cause of Sam’s death was underwhelming, not the actual event and story behind what happened, but the reaction that followed the revelation of how he died. This could have been a lot more than what it was, which was disappointing because I can see a lot of potential here.

This is the second audiobook I have listened to, and I’m still not sold that audiobooks are better than ebooks, but it could just be down to the way it was narrated, which did not win me over. Had it not been for the fact that it was an audiobook, I probably would not have finished it. I didn’t hate it, but it didn’t leave me wanting more. By the end, I felt unsatisfied - or, maybe I was just hungry, I don’t know. Either way, it wasn’t a great feeling. This was just an okay read for me.

Thank you to the publishers and author for the opportunity to listen to an advanced audio copy of Winter of the Wolf by Martha Hunt Handler. As a mother of a daughter and two sons roughly the same age as those in the story, I really struggled with the nature of this material. I love how the family ultimately came to have peace about their son’s death, but it seemed like the fairly tale ending rather than anything rooted in reality. I appreciated the author’s notes, but also strongly feel that a caution note warning of all potential triggers at the start of the book would be a good idea.

The narrator was one of the better ones I've listened to recently! I think the author hit the different reactions and how people handle their grief quite well. Yeah, Bean was insufferable at times, but honestly, she's 14/15 and dealing with strong emotions that no one should have to go through at that age. Overall this was a quick listen (one work day, realistically) and developed a few characters quite well. Also, WE STAN A GOOD, SUPPORTIVE, NON-JUDGEMENTAL FEMALE FRIENDSHIP.

I'm not the right person to be talking about appropriation vs. appreciation, but know before going into this book that it definitely treads in that territory ESPECIALLY considering that this was not written by a native/first nations (or more specifically, Inuit) author.

Thank you NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review. This book was pretty good, I didn't enjoy it as much as I was hoping though.

After her brother's mysterious death, Bean investigates to see what actually happened to him. This book follows her on her journey through grief and finding out what actually happened to her brother, Sam.

The performer for this version was fun to listen to, her voice was very dynamic.

An interesting, touching, and engaging story. Perfect for young adults with a few strong messages including (avoiding touching on spoilers) respect for self, respect for others regardless of species, and unconditional love.

Going in I was afraid that I would find cultural appropriation of the Inuit culture but I believe the way the Inuit information was shared was respectful as no character claimed to be an expert - they were all learners. But that is not for me to decide as I am not Inuit.

The fact that the author is an advocate for wolves is what really helped me decide to give this book a listen. While I appreciated the effort made to respect animals, the constant use of “it” to refer to an animal grated on my nerves. Animals are not objects and should be referred to as “they” when sex is unknown. Another upsetting aspect of the book was the misguided focus on fishing and the false claim that “catch and release” is humane. The majority of fishes who are hooked in the face die from trauma or are eaten by other fishes as they are weak. These two issues took away from the experience and are enough reason for me not to recommend the book to fellow animal advocates which is a shame.

Thank you to Martha Hunt Handler, Kelly Pruner, Greenleaf Audiobooks, and #NetGallery for an audioARC of #WinteroftheWolf in exchange for an honest review. Review will be posted on NetGallery and Goodreads.

Thank you NetGalley and Greenleaf Book Group for providing me with an audio copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This is a book about real life difficult topics. It’s not a light book and the author does not shy away from the inherent difficulties in discussing the death of a young person, the trauma of losing a family member, the topic of suicide, or the anger and second guessing that often accompanies the death of someone who was not ill. It is a beautifully written, deep teaching story line. It is a book that will have you thinking about it long after you have finished reading.

In the tradition of novels like Thirteen Reasons Why, this book reminds you that you are only a portion of someone’s life, there is a full story out there to uncover and sometimes answers only bring more questions.

The tie in of Sam’s Inuit beliefs and his deep bond with nature add another level of interest to the story. And prove that people really are an enigma.

Not sure what to make of this as the author wrote it because her best friends son had died. I loved hearing about the Inuit culture and some background to Sam and Bean. I wish we could of had more time with him.

A total shock when the truth emerged, maybe I am that naive

The Winter of the Wolf is a book that you would find yourself thinking about long after you are done with the book.

Bean Hanes just lost her brother-the brother she was the closest to; her hindered spirit; Sam. No sibling a rivalry just a connection that is unparalleled and one that she definitely does not share with her other two elder brothers.
The reader, at first does not know how the Hanes family lost Sam-but the author does a brilliant job of using the past and the present to put forth across the way the family deals with their grief.

The author is also honest about how Sam's own beliefs and deep respect for the Inuit culture also shows how he was perceived by the society that considers anything different as "weird" and "suspicious".

This book is Bean's journey to understand the why and how of Sam's death-it is a honest and heartbreaking journey of understanding and moving on-to a happy and healthy life.

Beautiful book, and interesting as well as thoughtful plotline that will make you think, feet and discover things that will make you grow as a human being.

I went into this book expecting more mystery, but was pleasantly surprised with what I got instead! The book starts with the apparent suicide of Bean's brother Sam, but she can't believe that is the whole story. While trying to determine what happened the night her brother died, we see Bean through her journey of grief, spiritualism, and how the world changes with such a tragedy. I loved that Winter of the Wolf delved into all the aspects of a grieving family, and how sometimes the answers we get aren't always the one we want. I also loved the approach to spiritualism and belief systems, as it was very open-minded and embraced many different cultures and beliefs. Although parts of the book were hard to get through, the writing was fantastic and kept true to the subject.

Winter of the Wolf is a story about the apparent suicide of a teenager, Sam and his sister Bean, who loves and idolises him so much that she refuses to believe he would ever kill himself. She decides to take it upon herself to research into his death and try to find out what else could possibly be the reason for his death other than suicide.

The narrator was easy to listen to, she brought the story to life and I always appreciate a good narrator. The author does a very good job of letting the reader get to know each of the characters in the story. This helps keep it interesting. Sam was into the Intuit culture and practiced all of their spiritual beliefs. He was also very into nature and animals, and he often spoke and taught his sister and friends about his beliefs and culture. After his death, Bean and her friend used this knowledge to seek into his death, and perform rituals that might possibly help her learn more information.

This book deals with death, grief and coming to terms, and acceptance, coming of age, and moving on with life after experiencing a death in the family. It is treated well in my opinion and it was a good read.

I particularly enjoyed the way the book ended. Bean and the rest of the friends and family were finally able to discover what exactly had happened to Sam. Bean and her family were in a good place at the end and the book ended on a happy note.

I also loved the tie in with wolves, since I am a huge fan of wolves, and I am glad to hear that some of the proceeds of the book sales are donated to wolf sanctuaries. ♡

I would like to thank #NetGalley and #WinteroftheWolf along with the publisher Greenleaf Audiobooks for my audioARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free copy of this audio book received in exchange for an honest review.

Winter of the Wolf begins with the apparent suicide of Bean's (the main character) older brother Sam. The major draw for me was that Sam believed in the teachings of the Inuit people and so, the story deeply focused on Bean's interactions with nature and the influence of the spirit world.

I enjoyed the overall story and Bean's search for what happened to her brother. That being said, I found that the writing style seemed to be intended for a much younger audience, but the themes were intended for an older audience. From my perspective, this made the book difficult to read.

Lastly, I did not love the ending, but I appreciate what the author was trying to accomplish. I will leave it at that to avoid any spoilers.

I find it difficult to rate this book because there are two parallel stories being told, one which fills three-quarters of the book in a meandering, didactic, unauthentic way, and another story which is inserted at the end and is really the heart of the narrative, but was unfortunately cloaked by the less compelling and drawn out introduction and side story. This review will have to have spoilers because there is no way to discuss it without revealing at least some of the conclusion. I will also note that the title is somewhat misleading because it has nothing to do with wolves except for infrequent mentions of the animal as a sort of totem. The summary of the novel in Goodreads says it is "an exploration in grief, suicide, spiritualism, and Inuit culture" and all of those subjects are dealt with, but they lead the reader away from the actual theme of the book, which is teen autoerotic asphyxiation and accidental death. It almost feels as if the creators of the books feared the topic would not be received well by readers, so disguised it in a long, forced discussion of spiritualism which reads like a teen self-help or new age guide. The narrator's inner dialogue sounds formal and prosaic, not at all like the thoughts of a teenage protagonist, and the book derails as it tries to weave together Inuit beliefs, spiritual practices, and the grief of a family mourning the apparent suicide of one of the teenage children. The author deserves accolades for taking on such difficult subject matter, and there seems to be very few books to compare this to, but a more honest and direct approach to the topic of teen autoerotic asphyxiation could have been more convincing, compelling, and cohesive. The sudden reveal near the end that the death was accidental and resulted from self-harm in the form of stimulation-seeking seems jarring and forced, and because it was disguised for almost the entirety of the book, the effect is that even the author did not want to talk about this tough topic. Adding to the discomfort is the narrator's tone, which was high-pitched and nasally for young female characters whereas adult characters over-enunciated. I wanted to like this title more than I did, but I hope it inspires other YA authors to tackle this subject.

I loved this book! It had a unique storyline and one which would appeal to young adults. The narrator suited the theme of the book well and I could imagine the narrator as the character (the book is in first person).