Somehow, miraculously there is a four part gay
werewolf series by TJ Klune that I hadn’t heard of. I feel like my prayers I didn’t know I made were answered! The Green Creek Series is being re-released and I am werewolf fangirling!

In Wolfsong Ox (whose self esteem is in need of a big boost, like 90% of us) meets 10 year old Joe who promptly declares Ox ‘smells like candy canes and pinecones and epic, and awesome’, cue the beginning of something very special. Like any TJ Klune book Wolfsong has so much heart, and a unique sense of humour; new in Wolfsong some steamy stuff for good measure. #bookstagram #booksbooksbooks #bookworm

I couldn't get into this book, like I enjoyed his other books. I will try again another time. But for now, It was a did not finish for me. I did love his other novels so I'm sure this one could be really good

Thank you for the copy of this book. I would rate this book with 3.5 stars. I enjoyed the representation in this book and how the queer relationships and identities felt very natural. One of the components I had issues with personally in the story was the ages of Ox and Joe. I understand that the relationship did not develop until they were older but there were components of it building at a younger age that made me uncomfortable. I liked the development and characterization of the side characters in this book as well as the found family aspect with the Pack. Due to that I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

Ox, a lonely and abandoned teen, finds found family in a group of werewolves and discovers a new inner, supernatural strength and love. Now I do like Klune and am a fan of their more recent work. I’ve been circling this book for a while, and getting an arc of the Tor reprint gave me a push.

Klune’s strengths come through in this earlier work—evocative writing that makes the reader feel connected to the emotional stakes of the characters. However, there is an immaturity to the worldbuilding and characterization that shows this is an inexperienced writer. The world feels like a fan fiction of the kind of supernatural romance work that was popular when this was originally written. And the characters feel written more for titillation than depth—such as Joe, whose sole trait seems to be the trauma from the abuse he experiences as a child drawing him to Ox. Using trauma as plot points definitely cheapens this work.

Overall, I am pretty confused as to why Tor is choosing to bring this back with so little editing, a dated book from when a currently popular writer was in a less skilled stage. At least consider changing the part that so many readers find objectionable, the beginnings of the main relationship starting when Joe is still a child (I’ve seen a lot of discourse about this, and even though the stone wolf could mean a lot of things, I think the book is pretty clear in the foreshadowing that it’s romantic/sexual). I think this book would have been best left in the past, for curious readers to look back at but not drudged up for a market and audience that it isn’t suited for.

This book is an absolute masterpiece! It’s a magical, beautiful and poetic tale about love and friendship, pack and mates that will make you cry and break your heart and then heal it again. It’s a book that will always have a special place in my heart. Please give yourself the gift of experiencing the magical and heartfelt world of Green Greek and its werewolf villagers and read this book you too!

It’s not really possible to describe in words what makes this book so special and all the things it made me feel while reading it, nor properly explain the impact it had, and will continue to have, on me. It’s the way it sings to you, the way it speaks directly to your heart and the way it rips your heart in pieces and makes you fall madly in love with all the characters.

But in short, Wolfsong is an urban fantasy/paranormal story taking place in the small village of Green Greek somewhere in USA, where the main character Ox gets abandoned by his father as a young kid. To help his mother, Ox starts to work for Gordo’s car repair shop about the same time as the intriguing Bennett family moves into the house next door, with the youngest son, Joe, immediately taking an interest in Ox. But as Ox is about to find out, the world is not what it seems, and there are werewolf and witches, kindness and cruelty, magic and destiny to discover.

Wolfsong is one of those epic family histories that lets us readers follow along for decades and tells the story by letting us readers truly get to know the characters and feel their feelings. The writing style is so unique and perfect it feels ethereal. And the characters are so lovable, so vulnerable, so full of flaws that you immediately take them all to your heart.

There is Ox, who’d always been seen as slow and stupid, but who was aimed for greatness. His POV is just one of the best I’ve ever encountered. He sees the world in such a beautiful way, and T J Klune really lets us see and feel all his emotions and his growth from insecure and sad to feeling loved and being able to love wholeheartedly and lead others.

“Things made sense, so much more sense now, but they didn’t. At all. The world was not full of monsters and magic. It was meant to be mundane and marred with little broken pieces of fucking retard and you’re gonna get shit, Ox.”

And Joe. Sweet, sweet Joe, who’d been so severely traumatized but who found a home in Ox and dared to start living fully again. Their journey to discover what’s howling between them is so heartwrenching and breathtaking. But also fun! T J Klune has this special humor that I adore.

“Except.
Except.
Joe wore a pair of low-slung shorts. Just the smallest things. And that was it.”

“He must have seen me out of the corner of his eye. He turned and grinned at me, and it was Joe, but it was Joe.
So, naturally, that’s when I walked into the side of the house. The tomatoes in my hand crushed against me. My head hit the wood siding and I thought, Oh shit.”

And all the members of the Bennett family with their amazing bonds and how they run and sing together, Gordo who is suffering from his own broken heart but who nevertheless wraps his love around Ox, the other workers at the shop who are like their own pack and the love and spirit of the village and the nature itself.

“I thought, I won’t let anyone hurt them because pack, because home, because love.”

I really don’t know how to explain how much I love these characters and their love for each other, the world building and the magical, poetically writing. All I know is that this is a book that hit me straight in the heart and will stay there forever.

Thank you to Tor Publishing Group and NetGalley for the ARC and the opportunity to read this marvelous book! All opinions are my own and I am leaving my honest review voluntarily.

Read WOLFSONG by TJ Klune if you love first person narratives, werewolves, lore, diners, nontoxic masculinity, trauma narratives, choices, the color green, bisexual protagonists, poetic prose, car mechanics, magic, found family, emotionally charged sm*t & tiny towns.

I really enjoyed this book so much! I finished it in 2 days not able to put it down. Wolfsong is a beautiful story about found family, love of yourself and others, friendship, and of course fantasy.

This book is a lot different from TJ klunes other books as it’s a true romance story and there is some spice to it. I think TJ did a beautiful job writing the story and I cannot wait to start the next book.

I have seen some reviews about the age difference between the romance characters and so I was a little nervous as I’m really big on that but the way this love story unfolds did not come off as inappropriate to me. The characters are only 5 years apart and nothing happens until they are both adults.

I cannot stop thinking about this story and am super excited to start the next book.

I absolutely love TJ Klune’s writing style, especially in this. The stream-of-consciousness fluidity of Ox’s thoughts was beautiful to read. Ox is a fantastic narrator and character who struggles with self-doubt and learns the value of his worth through the relationships he’s made.

Don’t think this is my type of book, though: not super into the age-gap trope (especially when the characters meet at 10 and 16), not super into alpha/beta dynamics, and not super into soul mates.

Overall, this book was entertaining and a quick read but I don’t think I’ll continue with the series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Honestly, this book was so heartfelt. I don’t think anyone does the found family trope, quite like TJ. Klune. The book spans over a 10 year period and told completely in Ox’s point of view. The relationships he builds within his new family and also the romantic relationships explored are so fleshed out. They’re warm and comforting. The book itself just feels like one big hug. I want to be sat around the Bennett’s Sunday dinner table, it’s tradition!

The character development was also formable. In the beginning Ox has no self confidence, deeming himself dumb and worthless and it was incredible to watch him finding his place in the world. He is just so loveable, honestly like all of the characters, I just wanted all the best things for him. Joe was an absolute sweetheart and my heart ached as we learned more of his trauma and how he was trying to overcome it and how some things could set him back in his healing process. It was raw.

In all, I absolutely devoured this book. It was traumatic. It was HILARIOUS. I think this is TJ Klune’s signature trademark at this point; make you laugh like a goof on one page and then tear your heart out in the next. And I’ll eat it up every time!

I've enjoyed TJ Klune's books so I was excited to give Wolfsong a try. I've heard amazing things. I really liked the family dynamics and Ox as a character seems really sweet. However I just could not get into this story. I've been reading it for about 2 weeks and I never felt inclined to pick it up. I made it to 20% and decided to dnf it. The story wasn't bad, it just wasn't captivating me. It felt very wolven Twilight. I thought this was an adult story as well and it's not. Maybe it becomes more so as the story and series progress but so far it wasn't what I expected. I'm also not loving the relationship between Joe and Ox, it's a cute friendship but I get the sense Ox is going to end up being Joe's mate and him being 11 weirds me out. I really wanted to love this and I think at a different time in my life I would have but sadly I don't want to force myself to finish a book I'm not engrossed in especially as I just got done doing that.

Reading this book is like getting wrapped in a warm hug from your favorite person. It’s like candy canes and pinecones and epic and awesome.

“All I wanted to do was come home, because without you, I don’t have a home.”

Ox and Joe’s story is angsty and heart-wrenching and so comforting. There is so much character growth and friendship, loyalty, and most importantly love.

Ox never left like he would fit in, not when his whole life he’s been told by his father that he was worthless. That was until his sixteenth birthday when the Bennetts came into town and Joe Bennett forever changed his life. What he finds with the Bennetts is a sense of family and belonging.

I loved Ox the most, but all of the characters in this book are so well-written and lovable.

If you want to read a romance for the ages, with lots of angst and a sprinkle of spice, this is the book for you.

Thank you, Tor Publishing Group and NetGalley, for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I love all of the other TJ Klune books that I have read, but oof this one really wasn't for me. There were some redeeming aspects of the book, but more often than not I felt wildly uncomfortable reading this. I love and appreciate that TJ Klune's books have queer main characters and that it's never a point of contention--it always seems to be accepted and normal. In this book, however, a character (at age 10??) mates with the main character at age 15. They then start "courting" each other when one character is 17 and the other is 23. To me, that's 100% a poor choice by the author. Make them closer in age or at least not have a weird grooming situation going on. I really couldn't get past that part of the plot. Then their relationship develops and is extremely cringey. I get that this is about werewolves, but there were quotes where they're talking about carving their mate's name in their skin, giving them scars with their claws, and having to stop themself from tearing them apart and watching them bleed. Idk man. I'm all about a good dark romance, but not when there's a minor involved.

Ok, so I love TJ Klune's books. Usually, the novels have strangers coming together to make a loving family. Wolfsong is the same...but with werewolves! Except, they're not just werewolves, they're swearwolves. Oh my, there was an abundance of the f word. I can't afford an f word-o-meter so you'll just have to take my word for it. And lots of violence of the werewolf kind, but these werewolves eat vegetables. The violence is between the veggie-eating wolves and the rogue werewolves. Humans can join the werewolves! What fun! Except for getting mauled and mangled. That might hurt. What else? Some graphic gay sex. I learned new ways that spit can be used. After three or four pages of graphic sex, I wanted to yell, "Too much information!" I'm more of a squeaking bed springs kind of reader.

Wolfsong has many of the attributes that Mr. Klune's other books having. But, if you're looking for The House on the Cerulean Sea, this ain't it. It has a sweet story involving a young kid and a blended family but with sex, violence, and swearwolves...I mean werewolves. Well written and great as a horror story...with spit.

Thanks to Tor and Netgalley for allowing me to read and review Wolfsong.

Mr. Klume, may I call you Mr. Klune?

After devouring Cerulean Sea, I saw this adorable cover and thought, why not? I love your writing and representation, so I requested it - to my astonishment, I was approved.

To my ABSOLUTE delight, I was met with found family (Klune Klassic) and gay werewolf romance (couldn’t not), THEN VIOLENCE INSUED and you ripped my heart from my chest (in which only TJ Klune can).

Mr. Klune - I say - you cannot write like you have in Cerulean Sea and then smack us in the face (gatekeep? Maybe since this actually originally came out long before cerulean sea) with the absolute TOP TIER GAY ROMANCE of the century.

May I add - please keep adding whatever you’re adding to you’re books because I can’t stop, and won’t stop.

Forever your humble servant, who has never once used a straw until a very specific moment

I have never read a TJ Klune book that I didn't love and Wolfsong is no exception. He has such a way of getting you to fall so in love with his characters. His writing is so atmospheric and I love every moment of a Klune book. Wolfsong was such a great intro to this series and I can't wait to read the rest of the books!

I remember this being sold as if "Jacob won Bella" which I mean originally put me off. But I found that a pretty poor descriptor for this slow burn tale, and light romance.

I loved the story, and I am normally a werewolf follower. However there was a chapter that I can see could be a problem for some folk. Too bad, as I don’t feel it added that much to the story.

I have been wanting to read Wolfsong for quite a while, and when I saw it on NetGalley, I had to request it. I am so thankful that I was chosen to read and review this book! The story tugged at my heart. I felt for Ox, and I cheered for him. He was raised with an abusive father, and this caused him to think a certain way about himself. I appreciated the way TJ wrote Ox's thoughts. I understood Ox and why he thought of himself in the way that his abusive father influenced him. The twist of a supernatural story along with a realistic world (with all the bad, abusive, negative "real world" crap) seemed like something I wasn't going to believe mixed well, But it did mix well, and it was wonderful! Anyone who loves fairytales with a twist of reality, please read this book. But check out the TW's first.

This is very clearly an earlier work from Klune, but he still manages to create characters that are both very flawed, yet incredibly likable. (Also, I'm VERY glad that Tor is republishing this). The romance portion of the book is a little awkward, though the overall story is compelling, with a rich setting and side characters who you'd like to read more about. I'll be recommending this to those who enjoy urban fantasy romance and urban fantasy fans.

I've read all three of TJ's most recent releases - "The House in the Cerulean Sea," "Under the Whispering Door," and "In the Lives of Puppets." So, it was about time that I (finally!) checked out his beloved Green Creek series. I'm so grateful to TOR for making the ARC available for review because I had so much fun reading "Wolfsong." I stayed up late into the night (two nights in a row!) because I just had to know what happened next. This, in my book, is always a sign of a good, well-written story!

The pacific northwest setting, the wolfish found family, and the elements of magic coexisting with a small town community gave me Twilight vibes (but just the good parts, and none of the weird/sketchy parts!). The relationships in this book are mature and well-developed, and the tensions felt so real. The book spans a large period of time., and TJ covers that ground beautifully. The story takes place over an 11-year period, so we get to see the main characters (Ox and Joe) grow up and mature together - coming together, drifting apart, coming back together...

There is no shortage of action or tension to keep things moving along, but you never feel rushed. I was left wanting to know more about all of these characters (pack pack pack), so I can't wait to dive into "Ravensong!" In short, this was a very fun read - I'm so happy to see this series getting re-released into the world!