My complicated past with werewolves began back in 2008 when I first read Eclipse and decided that Jacob was absolute trash. With the exception of Remus Lupin, I can’t think of any wolf in literature that I have loved. (No, I didn’t love Danika in CC, and my feelings on Kieran in FBAA are well-documented - dude is toxic.) So you can imagine my hesitancy in beginning this book. I requested it from NetGalley simply because it was by the genius who is TJ Klune, and I didn’t really pay too much attention to the premise of the book. For about the first 30 pages, I felt sad because I didn’t want to have to write a negative review.

AND THEN I FELL IN LOVE. Y’all, this book is everything. The main characters, the supporting characters, the plot, the humor, the tenderness, the writing style… and yes, the spice. I loved it all.

Ox is a teen who doesn’t fit in and has been abandoned by his dad as a child. He lives a pretty lonely life despite having a wonderful mother who loves him a lot and a surrogate father/brother named Gordo who owns a mechanic shop and gives him a job. He’s walking home one day when he runs into a kid he’s never seen before, and the kid latches onto him and becomes his best friend. What he doesn’t know is that this kid, Joe Bennett, is a werewolf and has basically imprinted on Ox. Yes, there’s a major age gap, and I can see how that would bother some readers, but the way it was handled worked for me. Things don’t get romantic until they’re both of age.

The romance is amazing, but it’s everything else that puts this story over the top for me. The Bennett family is a pillar in the wolf community, and as a result, they are targeted by evil wolves wanting that power and authority. Ox finds himself fighting alongside his found family through some seriously traumatic events to secure peace for their pack. The supporting characters are SO strong, and I’m thrilled that this book is the first in a series that explores different members of the pack. I have to say that I might have developed a little crush on Rico, one of the mechanics who continually cracked me up with his comments about Twilight. I am going to dive into the next book, because I can’t wait to see what happens next in my wolf family!

I did have a couple small things that irked me about the story. I could have done with more female representation, although that did improve as the story developed. Also, this is a fantasy story told in the present-day, but it was jarring to have characters named Mark, Carter, Rico, and Chris. I mean, the villain’s name was Richard Collins, not exactly a terrifying moniker!

If you love fantasy, found family, touch-him-and-die, childhood friends to lovers, and cracks about Twilight, definitely give this book a try! I hope it touches your heart like it has mine!

This was out of my normal comfort zone, but I loved it. Klune is becoming one of my favorite author's. The characters and family are so heartwarming, and the writing style is brilliant. Very easy to get stuck in the world of whimsy and magic. I thought there were explicit scenes and a bit too long. Can't wait to read the next of the series.
Thank you to Tor Publishing and NetGalley for a copy of his book in exchange for an honest review.
3.5 stars

I couldn’t put it down. It had me in a trance but I can’t even pin point when I decided I absolutely loved it.

Interesting premise! TJ Klune always has such unique characters and his stories unfold in such a different way. This one was a little long, but Ox was such a good main character.

I've heard nothing but positive reviews about TJ Klune's books. So many of my friends adore Klune's books, so when I saw that this title was available as an arc, I jumped at the opportunity. I wish I had not. For starters, this book is so unnecessarily long and boring. My theory is that if you remove all of the repetitive elements, then this book would be about 300 pages, which is more reasonable. I have read lots of boring books this year, but I try to give them a fair shake. What ruined this book for me is the age gap "romance." I put romance in quotes because somewhere along the way we started excusing toxic, possessive behavior as romantic instead of the abuse that it actually is. I digress. I understand that Ox and Joe were adults when they got together, but they had feelings for each other since day one. When they met Ox was 17 and Joe was 10 and the entire family treated Ox, from day 1, that he was meant for Joe. When you couple the age gap with the explicit sex scenes, it was just too much for me.

I received a digital copy from NetGalley and voluntarily leave an honest review.

Klune's writing is nothing short of extraordinary. The author's ability to craft vivid and immersive scenes brings the story to life, allowing readers to effortlessly lose themselves in the richly detailed world he has created. The pacing is masterfully executed, with moments of intense action seamlessly blending with heartfelt and introspective moments, keeping readers engaged from start to finish.

At the core of Wolfsong are its deeply complex and relatable characters. Ox, the main protagonist, is a beautifully developed character who undergoes a transformative journey throughout the narrative. His emotional depth and resilience make him instantly likable and easy to connect with. The supporting cast is equally captivating, each character adding layers of depth and dynamics to the story.

The exploration of themes such as love, found family, and self-acceptance is masterfully done. Klune skillfully depicts the intricacies of relationships, delving into the different forms of love and the sacrifices people are willing to make for those they care about. The profound emotional connections between the characters evoke a range of feelings, from heartache to joy, making Wolfsong an emotionally resonant read.

The supernatural elements, particularly the werewolf lore, are seamlessly integrated into the narrative. Klune adds his own unique twists to the werewolf mythology, creating a fresh and captivating take on the supernatural. The world-building is robust, providing readers with a rich tapestry of history and mythology that adds depth and complexity to the story.

TJ Klune, in my opinion, is an incredible storyteller and writer. And this book did not disappoint. Everything about this book was stunning, from the characters to the story itself, to the messages conveyed by it. It's been two days since I finished and I am still thinking about how astonishing this book is.

Part of what I love about Klune as an author is his ability to create a world filled with complex characters that seems unique and special in every one of his books. Wolfsong is no different. Here, we see Ox, an individual who has never felt like he belonged, come into his own when he meets Joe, who happens to belong to a pack of werewolves. The story follows these characters on a decade long adventure. These characters, every one of them, both main and side, are complex and individual. I felt for all of them and each of them has their own stories and backgrounds that are explored.

In Wolfsong, there is a perfect balance between the story, emotion, and beautiful writing. The story is well done. I often had no idea where it would take me with a perfect balance of action and character building.. Parts made me laugh out loud and then cry the next. This story made me feel a gamut of emotions: angst, happiness, sadness, hope, all one right after another. There are distinct writing styles throughout which are poetic in some places.

And, the love story between Ox and Joe is perfection. The journey we go on with both of these characters is incredible and one that I find important and honest. It, to me, is one of the best parts of this book.

Overall, this is probably one of my favorite books of the year and I think you should read it. Thank you to Tor Publishing and NetGalley for a copy of his book in exchange for an honest review.

Read if you like:
✅ Coming of age
✅ Werewolves, witches, and magic
✅ Found family
✅ Fated mates with age gap
✅ SPICE
✅ LGBTQIA+ representation

I’ve been in love with TJ Klune’s writing style since stumbling upon “Under the Whispering Door” and steadily working through his books. This is unfortunately the first one that I didn’t absolutely love. The narration style on this book missed the mark for me and the multiple time jumps and foreshadowing wasn’t for me. The book felt very long.
However, the characters were built well. I worried about them and sympathized with them. I cried when certain events happened and cursed at characters when they made (in my opinion) stupid decisions. The take on werwolves and alphas was refreshingly different. It was nice to have some spice in this book as most of Klune’s other books have excluded that. I don’t need spice to enjoy a book but I enjoyed seeing Klune’s take on more adult themes.
The book wrapped up well and didn’t leave any loose ends. I know there are more books in the series and perhaps I’ll pick them up but the story feels complete.

3.5 stars. After hearing so many amazing things about this book and this series, I decided to pick it up after receiving an arc of the rerelease. I did not read that version, however. The rerelease is nearly 100 pages longer than the original. I read the original version and still thought it was too long. There was so much repetition, I felt like it took away from the story and the plot.

I’m no stranger to werewolf stories. I couldn’t even begin to tell you how many I’ve read. I can tell you that I’ve read other non-traditionally published stories that I’ve enjoyed more than this one.

I do also have an arc for the rerelease of the sequel, so many I’ll enjoy that one more. I saw that it was about Mark and Gordo, whose relationship and background piqued my interest.

Also, I couldn’t get over the age gap. Why have Joe be ten years old when we meet him? I could understand him being a couple years younger but six years difference? I know nothing happened between him and Ox until he was an adult but still.

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. (I read the original version because it was shorter.)

Story: 4.5/5 ⭐

---
TJ Klune does not fail to make me ugly cry once again! Wolfsong is a coming of age/found family story. It follows the life of Ox, a simple and endearing boy who's been told by his father all his life that he's dumb. Father of the year am I right? Well his dad up and leaves him to take care of his mom so good riddance, but the damage has already been done. One day the empty house down the road is suddenly occupied. He meets a boy who doesn't stop talking, he learns that something terrible had happened to the boy to render him essentially mute for a year...until he met Ox. Ox soon learns their secrets and not soon after tragedy strikes, splitting up the pack.

Every time, TJ Klune, EVERYTIME. I always end up ugly crying for at least 50% of his books, this one not to be excluded! Ox's history is already sad enough with how he was brought up to believe that he would amount to nothing, but his journey to becoming a bigger (psychosocially, not physically-he's described to be as big as an ox) is heart warming and endearing. You can't help but want to coddle him and protect him from the world, as the Bennett's did. I love that it encompasses the coming of age and found family tropes. They can be tricky to incorporate but TJ Klune does a great job of developing the characters and their relationships. Of course he takes them away and leaves you bawling, but that's besides the point. My only issue is the ending, to me it felt just a tad bit rushed and underdeveloped, but only a tad.

***I received this book in exchange for my honest opinion. Thank you to the author/publishing company and netgalley for this opportunity!

Having read and adored Klune's previous works "The House in the Cerulean Sea" and "Under the Whispering Door," when I saw this one was available, I had to give it a try. Despite the fact that it's a little out of my wheelhouse - I don't often go for the supernatural-creatures vibe insofar as werewolves - I was just as charmed by the cast of lovable characters as I was in "Cerulean Sea" and "Whispering Door," and it is absolutely in the creation of his characters that Klune shines here. The fact that they're werewolves is sort of just tangential for a lot of the book; it's their everyday interpersonal experiences that are the forefront, they just happen to be werewolves dealing with them. Even the more wolf-y moments are crisply done, and realistically so. There's an eventual foray into explicitly sexual scenes, which, honestly, adds absolutely nothing to the book; the rest of the book is so lovely that there was a real disconnect for me. If the narrative is served by sex scenes, they're fine to have, and frankly, I don't care how graphic they are. But with these ones, they just felt like they were there because they could be, and even the dialogue/description/language used felt completely out of place in regards to the rest of the book. Overall, the world of Green Creek, and these wonderful characters, will have me returning for more of their stories, but I might end up just skimming any future sex scenes - "Wolfsong" was a better book without them.

I can not sing enough praises for this book! I absolutely loved it. I was completely transported and felt as if I was apart of the pack myself. I felt all the same emotions as Ox. The fight scenes were intense and left me on the edge of my seat. I absolutely can not wait to read the rest of the series. I will definitely be buying all of them!

I’m a mood reader, but sometimes my ARC schedule “forces” me to pick up a book despite my current mood. And with Wolfsong’s publication date looming, I felt that I had reached that point. Yes, Wolfsong was on my TBR and yes, I requested the ARC. But I just wasn’t in the mood to read it right now. Why do I mention this? Because my mood can so affect my impressions of a book, and yet, AND YET, Wolfsong just effortlessly knocked my mood out of the park. It HOOKED. ME. IN. and held on as I binged the 500 pages. Wolfsong, a story about a family of werewolves and their human neighbor, is 500 pages of 5⭐️ action, anticipation, friendship, family, love and heart. It’s a wonderfully entertaining summer read. It’s perfect for when you just want to have fun and get lost in a book. Think Twilight, but make it gay.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

When I tell you I have been dying to read this story for years it is by no means an exaggeration. My Twilight era fanboy has always wanted a gay werewolf story like this and MAN was TJ Klune the one to deliver it. The way this story grabs you immediately is some of the best writing I’ve read in such a long time. The connection between Ox and Joe is immediate, despite the age difference. They grow from a big bro/little bro friendship, to best friends, to mates over the course of several years. The supernatural aspect is thought out and portrayed beautifully…well explained without spending tedious amounts of time on World building (Klune needs to teach a class on how to achieve this). All, and I mean all, of the Bennetts are top tier level characters. The Bennetts are everything the Cullens wish they were. Ox and Joe each have their own tragic backstory which makes the plot turns even more heart breaking, but the payoff is beautiful. This book is a journey I wish I could experience for the first time all over again. Favorite of the year so far!

Re-release Date: July 4
Pages: 528
Genre: sci fi / fantasy

Perfect if you like:
🐺 Found Family
🐺 Paranormal romance (slow burn and open door)
🐺 Fated Mates
🐺 Werewolves, witches, and humans in the Pacific Northwest

- From the publisher -

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

Ox was sixteen when the energetic Bennett family moved in next door, harboring a secret that would change him forever. The Bennetts are shapeshifters. They 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, but he finds an ally in Joe, the youngest Bennett boy. 

Ox was twenty-three when murder came to town and tore a hole in his heart. Violence flared, tragedy split the pack, and Joe left town, leaving Ox behind. Three years later, the boy is back. Except now he’s a man – charming, handsome, but haunted – and Ox can no longer ignore the song that howls between them.

- Review -

I’ll start by saying that I loved The House in the Cerulean Sea and will forever consider it a comfort read. I was super excited, then, to receive this eARC for a re-release of Wolfsong.

There were aspects of the novel that I really enjoyed. One of my favorite things about Klune’s books is found family. He is good at giving people who feel left out a place they belong. In Wolfsong, Ox is no exception. The Bennetts take him in and become his family, providing him love, support, and a community. He gives it right back, brave and sturdy and loyal.

The description of the scenery was lush and vibrant, and it made me want to go to the PNW to see the forest.

I also enjoyed the supporting characters, especially Mark and Elizabeth (but can we talk about how I just kept picturing a Lizzy Bennet werewolf the whole time after reading her full name together?). Elizabeth might just have been my favorite character in the novel.

On the whole, I found the simplistic writing style effective, but there were times it got repetitive and the pack thoughts (packpackpack, brothersonlove, etc.) were used too much. I found myself sobbing and laughing at different parts of the book and was taken on an emotional rollercoaster as it progressed.

I often thought that I was reading Twilight but with werewolves. Klune does poke fun at himself for that with some quips and references about sparkly vampires. The parallels are there, though.

Most problematic for me, however, was the age gap between Ox and Joe. I understand the fated mates trope and that this is a paranormal romance book where Joe’s a wolf and not a human, but it made me very uncomfortable that Ox thought of Joe romantically before he was 18. Had that not occurred, I probably would have given this book a higher rating.

A lot of people love this book, so consider giving it a read if you like paranormal romance with a werewolf and human MMCs, books that will make you sob, be angry, and laugh and found family themes. Check the TWs before reading because this book is definitely violent and open door.

While I had some issues with Wolfsong, I’m going to read Ravensong (the next book in the series) because I really liked Gordo and Mark’s characters and want to see their story play out.

Wolfsong is a re-release by Tor Publishing Group. Much thanks to NetGalley and Tor for the eARC. My opinions are my own.

Candy canes and pinecones and epic and awesome

Wolfsong is such a heartfelt story of found family and love and lose. I smiled and giggled and cried through the entire book.

Ox was sixteen when he met a tiny tornado of a boy on a dirt road. Ox wasn't much of a talker, his dad had always told him he was dumb as an Ox, but the boy was content talking enough for the both of them. The boy told Ox that he smelled like candy canes and pinecones and epic and awesome and he had to come home and meet his family. From there on out he was a part of the Bennet family in all ways but blood.

At seventeen the Bennet family told Ox their secret, they were werewolves and that little tornado of a boy would grow up to be their Alpha someday. That same tornado of a boy who knew that he was in love with Ox even before he knew what love meant because he was candy canes and pinecones and epic and awesome.

Wolfsong spans the course of decade from start to finish. I really enjoyed watching Ox and Joe grow in this story. The way the story is written really lets you get inside of Ox's mind and feel what he feels, good and bad. This is a love story, but it is not an easy road for them but wraps up their story nicely at the end.

Very much looking forward to continuing the Green Creek series with Ravensong, another couples story!

My first experience with a book by TJ Klune was Under the Whispering door, which I adored. Then I read House on the Cerulean Sea after it was recommended to me, and it became my favourite read of 2021. So when he has a new book out, I can’t help but jump on the band wagon. Thanks to Netgalley for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.



Wolf Song is the first book in the Green Creek Series and is about Ox, a 16 year old who has always been told by his father he will amount to nothing and that he is stupid. He is told it so much that he believes it. Then the Bennett pack moves in next door, and they hold a deep secret. They are shapeshifters. Ox is launched into a whole other world he never imagined possible and discovers perhaps he is more than his father told him.

Ok, so TJ Klune has done it again. This is a beautifully told, emotional, cosy read with adventure, love, family, secrets, and so much more. It is a story of self-discovery and of self belief. It is also the perfect example of found family.

Klune always has this way of imbuing his worlds with so much emotion, which comes out and leaks into your heart and soul. Wolf Song is one of those books that will stick with you for a while, and I’m very excited for book 2.

It is a big book, and it is slightly slower paced at times, but this story embraces you in a big warming hug and doesn’t let you go. Just like The House in the Cerulean Sea, we meet some great characters you can’t help but fall in love with.

But the main character, Ox, is everything a main character should be. He is complex. He is brave, but more importantly, he is real and raw. He has flaws, and he is far from perfect, but this makes him all the more interesting. Having spent his whole life being told he is dumb and won’t amount to anything, all it takes is one young boy, Joe, to help him see that he should never believe everything his father told him. Thus, we see Ox embark on a journey of self-discovery, which will make you feel every emotion.

The supporting character and said young boy, Joe, is also a wonderful addition to the story. We first meet this young boy when he runs up to Ox, all innocent and happy. He comes across as bubbly, fun, light-hearted, and a ray of sunshine, but there is much more to Joe than meets the eye, and as we get to know him we learn just what he has had to overcome at such a young age.

This book made me cry several times, but I loved every minute of this book. If you are a fan of TJ Klune’s other books and you like supernatural stories, I would highly recommend this book. It may not be a book of non-stop action, but what it is, is a beautiful, well told story of adventure, a coming of age tale, and as always a wonderfully cosy LGBT read.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ – a superb coming of age/ supernatural/ journey of self-discovery all wrapped up in a stunning, cosy read.

I picked up this book after reading The House in the Cerulean Sea. For some reason, I thought this would have a similar tone and be aimed at a similar audience, but this story is a lot different. TJ Klune is a talented writer. The story drew me in. The foreshadowing, tension, and emotion kept me turning pages. I found some of the prose to be repetitive. I could see Klune was going for a theme/tone/message, but the repetition got to be too much for me. I also cannot recommend this book to most of my fellow readers because of profanity and sexual content.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Ox has always been bigger than others, and he's been told that words are not his strength. He and his mother live in Green Creek, and he works at the local garage. Little changes in the small town until a family moves into the house up the road. Ox finds himself drawn to the family, especially the boy with a dark past and big heart.

I’ve been a big fan of Klune’s more recent works, and have wanted to read his earlier novels. While I could definitely tell that his writing has changed since writing Wolfsong, I fell in love with these characters and his world! It was not perfect, but it was angsty, enthralling and I could not put down. It's like gay Twilight if the Cullens were werewolves, and I mean that in the best possible way. I liked the character development, and I did not foresee the twists and turns of the plot. I must be in my werewolf era, because this book spoke to me and I can’t wait to continue the series.

I would definitely call this a paranormal romance, and caution readers that it’s different from his newer novels, but Green Creek and this pack have my whole heart!

I have been a TJ Klune fan since House in the Cerulean Sea and was so happy to find out that Wolfsong and the rest of the Green Creek series was going to be re-released! This story is so much, but at its core, it is a love story. A story of two lost boys who find each other without knowing they are looking. A story of family and friendship and the bonds that tie people together through grief, tragedy, love, and joy. Green Creek is an unusual town with unusual people in it.
I loved this story - the narration style puts you right into Ox's mind as he experiences things, letting you see what is going in through his eyes. And Ox is a unique character in a unique book, who doesn't always understand what is happening but expresses his feelings and thoughts in a way that carries the reader along as events unfold. The love and friendship that evolves between Ox and the Bennetts is beautiful and funny and sweet and heartbreaking, as are those between Ox and the men of Gordo's shop. While the central conflict gets resolved by the end, it doesn't come without loss and not all questions are answered - given that this is a series, it makes sense for there to be lingering mysteries and secondary conflicts that don't get resolved. I look forward to reading the rest of the series (even though I usually hate reading big honking fantasy series!) and finding out what happens to the rest of the characters that I have come to know and love.

Thank you to Tor and NetGalley for the opportunity to read Wolfsong's re-release early!